John Cena has apparently turned babyface, seemingly bringing an end to the Undisputed WWE Champion’s controversial heel run. This now potentially opens the door for The Rock’s return at SummerSlam 2025.
Cena gave a confusing promo at the August 1 edition of SmackDown. Speaking to his SummerSlam opponent Cody Rhodes, Cena proclaimed that he had now “returned to WWE,” referencing the criticisms people have had of his heel run so far.
John Cena references The Rock in WWE SmackDown ‘babyface’ turn
Cena turned heel at this year’s Elimination Chamber event, siding with The Rock and — bizarrely — rapper Travis Scott to beat down Cody Rhodes. Many anticipated this would lead to a new faction, but The Rock hasn’t been seen on WWE programming since, and WWE has reportedly had a falling out with Scott.
Cena used the promo to point out the flaws with his run in kayfabe, saying that “the people that were supposed to be on my team left me,” presumably referring to The Rock and Scott. He also made a direct jab at Scott, saying to Cody: “And on Sunday, the only platinum rapper showing up to whip your ass is me.”
You can watch the full promo below:
Why The Rock could return to WWE at SummerSlam 2025
Although the above suggests WWE has decided to pull a 180 on John Cena’s heel turn, doing so ahead of the SummerSlam event on a random episode of SmackDown would be incredibly anti-climactic. Cena and Rhodes are also set to face one another in a Street Fight, a match type that’s not exactly well-suited to a babyface vs. babyface rivalry.
There have been rumors of a Cody Rhodes heel turn, which the star himself has even addressed. Some have suggested that The Rock could return, align himself with Rhodes instead, and help Cody win the title back. Considering The Rock’s kayfabe partner Scott helped Cena beat Cody in the first place, this would be a convoluted development that many don’t want to see happen. Cody has also expressed not wanting to turn heel right now, and with him being the company’s top babyface, this seems unlikely.
However, it does seem likely that the Street Fight stipulation will come into play and allow for interference. This is where The Rock could come in and potentially help Cena to victory, letting the 17-time champion pull a swerve and retain his title, maintaining his place as a heel. The Rock’s part in Cena’s heel turn is currently a major loose end, and while WWE could let it fizzle out, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque is known for his long-term booking. Would he really want The Rock to keep making brief disruptive returns without any pay-off?
Another theory is that the injured Seth Rollins will return and cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, wrecking shop alongside stablemates Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. This is certainly a possibility, but if that’s the end result of this, why have Cena turn babyface the day before the event? It would surely make more sense to have Cena turn face during the Street Fight, and then have the match interrupted by Rollins and put more heat on his heel stable.
The Rock’s appearances in WWE have been sporadic and incredibly difficult to guess. This means that it’s impossible to tell if he’ll make a return during SummerSlam, or if WWE is truly pulling back on the Cena heel turn without an effective conclusion to his villainous character arc. Hopefully, a few surprises are in store for WWE fans this weekend, and if this is to be the end of the Cena heel turn, there’s a more satisfying ending in store for us at the live event.
