WWE has posted the full segment from Friday’s SmackDown, with the real John Cena returning in a face-off with with Cody Rhodes. This was the go-home episode for this weekend’s SummerSlam.
Cody will be challenging Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship in a street fight at SummerSlam Night Two.
Below is an excerpt from Roy Nemer’s SmackDown recap, along with the full segment.
Cena says for 25 years, day in and day out, he forged a reputation off hard work, honesty and respect. And he now realize that five months ago, he flushed it down the toilet, chasing someone’s idea to make shocking TV. And they did but the dust settles and everyone goes back to their normal lives and the one’s who were on his team left and they left him alone trying to pretend that he is someone that he is not.
He raises the title and says he wants to leave with that, after his last match, he wants to take the title home with him. But it’s not because he wants to ruin wrestling, he loves wrestling. It’s because after he is gone, he doesn’t want the fans to forget about him. He was so hung up on how they might see him tomorrow, he forgot to realize how stupid he looks today. And everyone tried to tell him but he didn’t listen. Cody tried to tell him but he didn’t listen. He says Cody did what a good friend should do, he forced him to face it, he forced him into a fight.
Cena says the fight will be brutal, he will dig down and be who he really is. He tells Cody to mark his calendar, August 1, 2025, Newark, New Jersey, the day that John Cena came back to WWE!