Cody Rhodes and John Cena – Is the Heel-Turn Storyline Underwhelming Fans?

Making predictions about WWE is perhaps one of the easier sports to speculate on. In the case of John Cena’s victory over Cody Rhodes, for instance, the writing was on the wall for the last few weeks – perhaps even months. 

Ever since the start of 2025, Cena has been making a variety of threats, stating he would steal the most important prize in wrestling and make history one final time. His promos grew increasingly intense, with cryptic references to legacy, betrayal, and redemption, and – having been through this all before – most WWE fans knew where it was going. 

In the UK, for instance, the betting odds for the big fight put Cena heavily in favour, with odds of around -200 compared to Rhodes’ +150. In short, this wasn’t like betting on a game of football, or pulling slots online UK games, where the outcome is up in the air. For anyone who paid attention, the outcome was always inevitable. The key question, then, is why was it so underwhelming?

Cena’s Heel-Turned Has Underwhelmed Fans

There’s no doubt that the heel-turn storyline has underwhelmed the 3.6 million fans who tuned into Netflix, with many stating that it lacked the emotional weight or unpredictability that such a monumental moment deserved. Indeed, John Cena’s heel-turn should have been a seismic shift – the kind of angle that defines eras – but instead, it felt rushed, confusing, and oddly hollow. 

Even during the fight, there were moments that fell flat for the audience. Take Travis Scott standing in for The Rock as the ‘big bad’. Having him involved at Elimination Chamber was one thing, but to have him essentially be the turning point of the match was a baffling creative decision. There should have been a monumental reaction – at least, that’s probably what they were going for – but instead, the moment had most fans scratching their heads.

This pretty much summed up the storyline as a whole. It had no depth. The reason John Cena turned heel was apparently because he wanted to ‘rewrite his legacy’ – something that was already hard to believe given his legacy was already cemented as one of the greatest of all time. As a result, he released a number of promos that were supposed to provide a clear emotional arc and psychological unravelling. But while Cena’s performance isn’t in doubt, the underlying logic behind his betrayal of Rhodes simply wasn’t there. 

Could This Harm Rhodes’ Reputation?

On the other side of the ring, Rhodes’ reaction to it was underwhelming too. Rather than providing a fiery, impassioned response to his betrayal, Rhodes’ portrayal felt somewhat detached. The fire that made him a fan favourite during his rise seemed to fizzle out before he’d even stepped in the ring, and as a result, the emotional stakes simply didn’t seem high enough. Where was his urgency? Where was his fight?

We all know, of course, this could potentially be pointing to something far greater. For all those predicting Cody Rhodes would drop the belt in 2025, they probably added a caveat that stated he would win it back, and indeed, it feels like that’s where this storyline is going. WWE has a long history of utilising temporary setbacks to build even bigger returns, and Cena’s heel-turn, although lacking the emotional depth many hoped for, certainly seems poised to serve as a catalyst. 

But the gambit might not come off. When Rhodes steps back into the ring, are there going to be the same number of fans willing him on? Or has this storyline done more damage to him than good? There’s no doubt that the majority of fans are feeling underwhelmed right now, and for Rhodes’ sake, we hope they don’t lose faith in his journey. But so far, the storyline isn’t landing. And there’s every chance Rhodes’ inevitable redemption arc might not land as a result.