WWE WrestleMania 41: John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes. That sentence alone is worth the price of admission and so much more.
As reported by multiple professional wrestling outlets like Cultaholic Wrestling, John Cena’s plans to head into Mania will involve the “American Nightmare,” with sources claiming that the storylines of the two are “closely linked together.”
We have no idea if this is true. It might involve Cody and John teaming up with Roman Reigns against The Bloodline and The Rock.
That said, the WWE Universe’s collective minds will immediately go to a one-on-one match between the two for the Undisputed WWE Championship, and we’ll focus on that potential matchup.
At the “Grandest Stage of them All,” should John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes happen? Why and why not?
Let’s get right into it.
WWE WrestleMania 41: John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes – Why It SHOULD Happen
Simply put, this is probably the biggest match you could have for WWE WrestleMania 41 in Paradise, Nevada.
Cody Rhodes is essentially the second coming of John Cena, an heir apparent who’s a marketable babyface that everyone loves. He has the charisma and professionalism to be the face of WWE for decades to come, if not already.
A ‘Mania 41 main event for the Undisputed WWE Championship match between the two will most certainly be the marquee bout that can lead to tickets selling out like hotcakes.
On top of this, this provides Cena with one final monumental WrestleMania contest while giving the fans a formal “passing of the torch” moment.
Sure, Cena and Rhodes have been in the ring together before. But we have not seen the legendary John Cena, a beloved WWE icon on his 2025 farewell tour, against the main eventer, the face of the company, “American Nightmare,” Cody Rhodes.
The last time these two fought, they were at drastically different points in their careers, and this could be the last time WWE can pull the trigger on this dream matchup.
Rhodes vs. Cena at ‘Mania 41 ticks all the boxes, and there is very little downside to this if WWE goes this route.
WWE WrestleMania 41: John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes – Why It SHOULD NOT Happen
While we did say there are very few downsides to this, there are still a couple. For one, WWE is more than likely looking for John Cena to notch his record-breaking 17th World Championship to surpass Ric Flair’s 16 reigns before he hangs up the jorts.
But that presents a big problem. Cody Rhodes has been on quite a roll as the top champion of the promotion. Will WWE jeopardize their biggest star’s momentum by having him lose his championship at the “Granddaddy of them All” to a part-timer?
If that happens, Rhodes will be more than likely to regain it back. However, is it worth giving John Cena his fleeting moment at the expense of Cody? It depends on who you ask. Cena vs. Rhodes can still happen, but the Undisputed WWE Title should be out of the equation.
Apart from that, Cody Rhodes is seemingly set to take on The Bloodline once again at WrestleMania 41, but more specifically, The Rock. How will John Cena fit into all of this?
Yes, WWE does have the ability to make any “seemingly put together at the last moment” storyline compelling, as evidenced by last year’s “Finish the Story” saga.
But, this time, it may even be murkier and harder to navigate since there’s still no organic way of inserting John Cena into the mix without it looking forced.
Sure, he did help Cody at WrestleMania XL. Yes, he does have a history with The Bloodline, Roman Reigns, and The Rock. That’s all in the past, though, and will fans be compelled to revisit that?
Whatever happens, if WWE does pull the trigger on this huge match at WrestleMania 41, there’s not a professional wrestling fan in the world who wouldn’t want to see it.
