John Cena attacks Cody Rhodes, turns heel at Elimination Chamber
You read that correctly: Cena turned heel
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John Cena wins Elimination Chamber, then turns on Cody Rhodes
Who saw that coming?
John Cena won the men’s Elimination Chamber match, a predictable finish to an outstanding match. Then all hell broke loose.
Following the finish, Cena celebrated in the ring with Cody Rhodes, who he will wrestle for the undisputed WWE championship at WrestleMania. Then The Rock and Travis Scott came to the ring (no, there was no need for Travis Scott to be there), seeking an answer from Rhodes on whether he wanted to give up his soul to be Rock’s corporate champion. In a scene that further endeared Rhodes to the crowd, he told The Rock to… fuck off.
As the crowd erupted, Cena was among those celebrating. Rhodes and Cena embraced, which was the moment Rock signaled for Cena to take out Rhodes.
That was when Cena did the unthinkable, turning on Rhodes and aligning with The Rock. It was an all-time turn, and another clear signal that Vince McMahon is no longer running WWE.
The idea that Cena is a heel is hard to believe, but it is a brilliant move–and it should directly connect to Cena’s inability to win big matches over the last six years, including most recently at the Royal Rumble. Now Cena has the title match he wanted, at WrestleMania, with a chase to set a new WWE record by becoming a 17-time world champion.
Considering this is Cena’s last year in professional wrestling, turning heel also sets up another incredible moment: he can turn face before his time is up. This is the start of a maginficent storyline, and all of a sudden, the Rhodes-Cena main event is the single biggest match in all of pro wrestling.
Elimination Chamber exceeds expectations
For the first time in 12 years, Cena will headline WrestleMania.
That became official after he won the men’s Elimination Chamber match, which was extremely compelling.
There was a whole lot to like about this match, especially the long-awaited showdown between Cena and CM Punk. It even wisely avoided any contact between Punk and Drew McIntyre, who were spectacular in their Hell in a Cell bout last October–as McIntyre was eliminated by Damian Priest before Punk entered.
Closing the match with Cena, Punk, and Seth Rollins led to a few brilliant sequences. Cena locking the STF on Punk was a thing of beauty, and it is painfully obvious that these two need to headline an event at some point this year. The decision to have Punk eliminate Rollins was also excellent, as it extends their feud–and continues to give Punk the upper hand.
Cena and Punk were the final two in the chmber. Two world-class masters of the craft, their near-falls were superb, and watching the two of them battle–in 2025–for the right to headline WrestleMania was everything it needed to be.
The ending was the lone deflating aspect of the match. Punk was compromised after an eliminated Rollins hit a Curb Stomp on him (shouldn’t you have to leave the ring right away?), and then Cena took advantage of the situation by putting Punk in the STF. But instead of tapping, Punk passed out, a pro wrestling finish that is a sure-fire way to disappoint. Overall, it was an excellent match, and the finish was long forgotten by the time Cena turned on Rhodes.
Randy Orton returns, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn bludgeon one another, and Jade Cargill turns on Naomi
Here are the results from Elimination Chamber:
Bianca Belair won the women’s Elimination Chamber match
Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus defeated Nia Jax and Candice LeRae
Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn in an unsanctioned match
John Cena won the men’s Elimination Chamber match
The card was primarily focused around the two Elimination Chamber bouts, but there were two other matches. Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus teamed together to defeat Nia Jax and Candice LeRae, which was a predictable outcome to a crowd-pleasing match. There was also the unsanctioned match pitting Kevin Owens against Sami Zayn. This was pure carnage, with Owens and Sayn continually putting their bodies on the line to deliver an extremely physical encounter.
The commentary team of Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, and Wade Barrett (more on them in a moment) went too heavy into how Zayn was risking his career, which was repeatedly contradicted by Zayn fighting back. Cole even talked about how a helpless Zayn could have had a broken neck, which felt like a stretch in a match where, thankfully, he wasn’t hurt.
After Owens won, he looked to inflict further damage on Zayn, but was interrupted by a returning Randy Orton. Owens was the recipient of an RKO, but officials cleared Owens from the ring before Orton could punt kick him in the head (and no, Cole and the commentary team were not worried about Owens’ health). Orton took time to point at the WrestleMania sign, and though this redirected the attention away from Owens and Zayn, it was a solid return.
Elimination Chamber laid the foundation for WrestleMania. In addition to Gunther-Jey Uso and Stratton-Charlotte Flair, we now know that Bianca Belair will challenge Rhea Ripley. Orton’s return sets up a bout against Owens, and McIntyre and Priest appear headed on a WrestleMania collision course. Depending on what happens with Roman Reigns, there is also a path to a singles bout pitting Punk against Rollins.
The most significant moment at Elimination Chamber, of course, was Cena turning heel. There is now an entirely new fire attached to the WrestleMania main event, which would not have existed in a babyface-versus-babyface match.
The Elimination Chamber broadcast team was Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, and Wade Barrett
This trio is missing some intangible. Does anyone else find Pat McAfee far more listenable when he’s on the air with Corey Graves?
Also, why is the broadcast team escorting Rhodes to the back? Why were they celebrating the Rumble win in the ring with Jey Uso? It makes no sense to me.
Bianca Belair wins Elimination Chamber, Jade Cargill turns on Naomi
Bianca Belair was the last woman standing in the Elimination Chamber, defeating Liv Morgan (who was phenomenal from start to finish) to win the match. That puts Belair in a match against Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. While that isn’t expected to headline either night of WrestleMania 41, there is reason to believe it will be spectacular.
With WWE creative intent on giving Ripley the long, dominant reign she would have had a year ago had she not suffered an injury, the expectation is that Ripley will be victorious at WrestleMania. That allows WWE to continue the Belair/Naomi/Jade Cargill storyline, especially if Cargill costs Belair the match.
Cargill returned at Elimination Chamber and attacked Naomi. It appears Cargill is blaming Naomi for the storyline attack that took her out of action in November, as well as perhaps taking her place as one-half of WWE’s women’s tag team champions. Cargill works especially well as a heel, so hopefully this is the beginning of a run that can finally give her some momentum in WWE.
Even if she doesn’t win at WrestleMania, Belair has been sorely missed from the world title picture–and WWE as a whole is better off with her back in that scene.
Yes, Cena turned heel
With WrestleMania only 48 days away, there is a brand new excitement attached to the event.
There is going to be all sorts of comparisons between Cena’s turn and Hulk Hogan joining Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in ‘96 at Bash at the Beach, and both undoubtedly stand as unpredictable moments. But they are also very unique.
Hogan was nowhere near the end of his career when he turned. Scott Hall and Kevin Nash were physical specimens who were also extraordinarily charismatic. Cena, however, is closing out his career later this year. Unless that changes, I understand the parallels and comparisons–but it feels like this is going to play out in a very different manner.1
Nevertheless, this starts a new must-see angle. There is a new edge to WWE. After nearly a year of hibernation, the Final Boss character is finally starting to make sense again. Cena as a heel provides an unfamiliar lens. Turning him heel is a high-risk opportunity, one that also helps Rhodes–and the wrestling world will wait with bated breath for Cena to explain himself.
WrestleMania can’t come soon enough.
And Travis Scott is no Hall or Nash.