John Cena and Cody Rhodes get physical on Raw

Five questions about the match that will headline WrestleMania 41

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Extra Mustard is a weekly column looking at the highs and lows–and everything in between–in combat sports and beyond.

John Cena and Cody Rhodes continue the build toward epic bout at WrestleMania

For a third straight week, John Cena and Cody Rhodes had a direct confrontation on Raw.

And this was the best one to date.

Cena and Rhodes squared off verbally on Raw in London, and it was a combination of storyline and reality. The interaction finished with some physicality, with Rhodes laying out Cena in what appears to be their final interaction before WrestleMania.

But their match at WrestleMania is still 19 days away. Is it really possible that this was the final step in their build?

Yes. And no.

Let’s look at five pressing questions as we head toward WrestleMania:

5.) When will we see The Rock?

The answer to this question has to be… soon.

Rhodes directly referenced The Rock on this week’s Raw, reminding Cena that he was the one who sold his soul. Considering that this was Cena’s last public appearance, it is possible that we don’t see him again until WrestleMania.

Even though that is nearly three weeks away.

In order to get from here to there, The Rock is needed to fill the gap. The Cena-Rhodes build has been tremendous since the moment Cena cut his first heel promo on Raw. But it has worked because Cena has been present. This program loses luster the moment he steps away.

And that makes The Rock’s impending return even more valuable.

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4.) Is this Cena’s best work?

Cena is going above and beyond to make Rhodes shine.

Yes, he is also weaving in a line or two that knocks his detractors. When Cena said, “I don’t bury talent, I am talent. I bury mediocrity,” he meant it. He’s a top-tier performer on the microphone, and Cena was genuine when he noted that he took everyone else’s best shot yet very few could operate at his level.

But this isn’t about Cena. Subtly, he is doing everything possible to make Rhodes look like the biggest babyface in the world. The more he is disliked, the more Rhodes is beloved.

When you listen to the reaction from the crowd, it’s clear it is working.

In only three weeks, John Cena has thrived as a heel/WWE

Rhodes deserves a lion’s share of the credit, but good guys are only good when there is a villain. Cena is playing the role of a lifetime as a heel, and there is zero reason to believe it will end at WrestleMania. His run is just getting started, so it is pivotal that WWE book Rhodes so strong early in the feud.