WWE SummerSlam 2025 Results As Brock Lesnar Returns And Destroys John Cena

Cody Rhodes and John Cena main evented WWE SummerSlam 2025.

WWE

Brock Lesnar returned to WWE after Cody Rhodes defeated John Cena in the main event of WWE SummerSlam 2025. This was a classic Street Fight as both Cena and Rhodes took turns kicking out of each others’ finishers and avalanche finishers.

Cody Rhodes shook hands with Cena after the match as the two shared an emotional passing-of-the-torch moment. Rhodes brought Cena to the center of the ring once again to raise his hand for a final time before exiting the ring. Rhodes gave the ring to Cena, who basked in the cheers of MetLife Stadium with four months left in his retirement tour. Fans chanted “thank you Cena” as both Cody Rhodes and Cena left SummerSlam as babyfaces. The only difference is, Cody Rhodes left on his own two feet.

As Cena basked in the glory of MetLife Stadium, Brock Lesnar’s music hit to a huge reaction. Fans chanted “holy s—t” as The Beast stalked John Cena and laid him out with an F-5.

John Cena’s heel turn at Elimination Chamber was one of the best heel turns in history. By kicking whitemeat babyface Cody Rhodes in the groin, Cena effectively sold his soul to The Rock and turned heel for the first time in 20 years. The execution of Cena’s heel turn was masterful, but the booking was subject to scrutiny.

Cena did not change anything about himself and blamed the fans for his newly nefarious ways. But with Cena on his retirement tour, he received the same mixed reactions he did when he was a divisive babyface in 2010. This time around, however, there were more cheers than boos despite Cena’s best efforts.

Cena was cheered opposite babyfaces such as Randy Orton, CM Punk and R-Truth. After Cody Rhodes challenged John Cena to become the old Cena, “the Greatest of all Time” abruptly turned babyface on the August 1, 2025 broadcast of SmackDown.

“After my last match, I want to leave here with [the WWE Championship] with me,” said Cena in an about-face. “But it’s not because I want to ruin wrestling. Geez, you guys know, I don’t want to ruin wrestling. I love wrestling. I want to take this home with me so after I’m gone you guys don’t forget about me.”

Cena’s face turn while in the midst of a heel run is reminiscent of Stone Cold Steve Austin turning babyface after Vince McMahon begged for “the Old Stole Cold” in June of 2001. After the Old Stone Cold cleaned house to help Team WWE against The Alliance ahead of WWE Invasion, Austin turned heel all over again and screwed Team WWE. Ironically, Austin received the same criticisms for turning heel that John Cena is getting. But after turning babyface for SummerSlam, WWE’s main event answered an open-ended question: Will Cena remain a good guy, double down as a villain or will there be a double-turn?

Cody Rhodes lost the WWE Championship after failing to pull the trigger and hit Cena with the WWE Championship belt. In the end, Cody Rhodes attacked John Cena without hesitation time and again. Some moment made it seem as if he was going to fully turn heel. But after an Avalanche Cody Cutter, Cody Rhodes defeated John Cena. No heel turn needed.

John Cena Vs. Cody Rhodes SummerSlam 2025 Highlights

• Cody Rhodes’ entrance began with an old Dusty Rhodes promo that might have been AI. “When you walk behind and you’re not a leader, then the view never changes. The view never changes. The view never changes. The view never changes. Don’t let me down, now. Cause I came back for you. For that man up there that died 10 years ago. That never got the opportunity to see a real world’s champion. I’m proud of you and thank god I have you.”
• John Cena made his electrifying babyface entrance with colors and enthusiasm. He even wore his belt the right way. Cena and Stu were back on speaking terms before Cena sprinted to the ring.
• Cody Rhodes was mostly booed during his ring introduction. Babyface Cena respectfully embraced Alicia Taylor as she gave his ring introduction. Cena and Rhodes started each other down. Fans were going crazy before either of them even touched. After a show of respect, John Cena and Cody Rhodes brawled like crazy. Cena absconded a crutch from the injured Tyrese Haliburton to the delight of MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Cena struck Cody with the crutch.
• After Rhodes planted Cena on a steel step, Cena fought back. Cena dumped Cody to the outside and threw the steel step at Cody. The two briefly wrestled in the ring before Cena launched Cody Rhodes over the top rope. Cody was taking some crazy bumps to begin this match. “Cody Rhodes” chants started up.
• Cena and Rhodes clanked chairs, but Cena’s chair slipped out of his hand. Rhodes capitalized with a chairshot and a pinfall. Cena rammed Cody through the chair in the corner headfirst. Cena then hit the five moves of doom to a huge babyface reaction. Cena hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle followed by an AA attempt, but Rhodes escaped.
• Rhodes hit a comeback of his own to a chorus of boos. After a Cody Cutter, Rhodes came up with another nearfall. Back came Cena with an AA from out of nowhere for a nearfall. Rhodes hit a Terry Funk-style (read: awkward) moonsault onto Cena for a nearfall.
• Rhodes hit another Cody Cutter, this time from the top rope, for another nearfall. Rhodes, the de facto heel, was emotionless from the get-go. Cena answered Cody’s offense with an electric chair for a two-count.
• Cody Rhodes hit a piledriver to a huge reaction for another two count. Cody couldn’t believe it. Fans chanted “you can’t do that/yes he can!”

John Cena Rises From Elevator Door, Cody Rhodes Teases Heel Turn

• Cody Rhodes and Cena went back and forth, capped off by Cody Rhodes hitting a sitout power bomb. Cena transitioned into an STFU and Rhodes desperately grabbed the ropes. Unfortunately, there is no rope break in a street fight. Rhodes used the ring to his advantage and dragged Cena’s throat across the bottom rope.
• Cena struck Cody Rhodes with a microphone and hit a Canadian Destroyer to an enormous reaction. Cena hit an AA on Cody through the Spanish announce table as fans chanted “you still got it!” Rhodes was still able to kick out of Cena’s offense.
• Rhodes hit a Cross Rhodes for a nearfall and Cody was more incredulous than ever. Cody sat Cody on the top rope and tried a superplex. Cena powered out with a pair of headbutts on Cody. Cena hit a leg drop from the top rope followed by an AA for a two count. Now John Cena is doubting himself.
• Cena set up a table in the middle of the ring. Cody tipped the table and delivered a DDT. The action spilled into the crowd as Cody Rhodes hit a suplex onto a barricade. The two battled underneath the stage, and Cena brilliantly rose up on the elevator shaft carrying Cody Rhodes. Cena delivered a violent AA onto the ramp of the stage.
• Back in the ring, Cody Rhodes tossed Cody Rhodes into a table followed by a Cross Rhodes. Nearfall.
• Cody Rhodes loosened the bottom rope and grabbed hold of an exposed turnbuckle. Rhodes hit Cena with the turnbuckle steel as fans booed loudly. Cody hesitated yet again. A reluctant Cody waited for Cena to rise to his feet, then he clocked Cena again.

Brock Lesnar Returns After Cody Rhodes Beats John Cena

• Cody Rhodes begged the referee to call the match off, but Cena waved the ref off. Cena made it back to his feet and locked in the STFU, using the ropes to his advantage. Rhodes escaped the STFU, ducked under an AA attempt and hit three more Cross Rhodes. Super Cena kicked out to a thunderous reaction. Fans even chanted “Super Cena!”
• A remorseful Cody Rhodes grabbed the WWE Championship and charged at Cena. Cena caught Cody with two AAs. Cena tossed the belt aside and set Cody Rhodes on the top rope. Cena hit an Avalanche AA for another nearfall. Fans chanted “this is awesome.” No “Super Cody” chants, though.
• Cena grabbed hold of a table, but Cody used it to his advantage by putting Cena through the table. Rhodes stalked his opponent and delivered a final salute to Cena for the win.
• After Cena and Cody shared an emotional moment, Brock Lesnar’s music hit to the biggest reaction of the weekend. Fans chanted “holy s–t.” In a moment that mirrored the Raw After WrestleMania in 2012, Brock Lesnar circled the ring and confronted John Cena.
• Brock Lesnar ducked a Cena clothesline and laid him out with an F5. Reports about Brock Lesnar being on WWE’s banned list were proven to be faker than the sport he covers.

Brock Lesnar’s Return And What’s Next

Now that SummerSlam has come and gone, it’s clear that WWE has officially retconned John Cena’s babyface turn. There is no Cody Rhodes heel turn in sight. Instead, WWE shook things up with the return of Brock Lesnar. Despite Twitter claiming Brock Lesnar is canceled stemming from his involvement in Vince McMahon’s sexual misconduct lawsuit, real-life gave Lesnar the biggest pop of SummerSlam.

Lesnar seems primed for a feud against John Cena as Cena embarks on a babyface swan song against one of his greatest opponents. If this really is a Cena farewell tour, then the list of vintage opponents (Randy Orton, R-Truth and CM Punk) doesn’t get any better than Brock Lesnar.