3 Subtle Hints That John Cena Might Drop His Title At WWE SummerSlam 2025

There’s growing buzz that World Heavyweight Champion Gunther will be John Cena’s final rival. Reports suggest Cena might retire in December, making SummerSlam a turning point. Since a heel vs. heel match wouldn’t click with fans, Cena would likely need to turn face before that final feud.

This signals a title loss soon, possibly against Cody Rhodes, allowing Cena to shift focus and close out his career on a nostalgic, babyface high.

Cody Rhodes is slowly becoming more dangerous and aggressive inside the ring. Two weeks ago on SmackDown, he attacked Cena using the title belt, a tactic he had previously avoided.

At a recent Fanatics Fest, Cody even hinted that the end of his babyface run was near. WWE Creative could accelerate that process, making him the villain at SummerSlam by beating Cena through underhanded means.

This turn would work perfectly if Cena is meant to go face again before retirement.

Even as a heel, John Cena hasn’t been able to ignore the love from his fans. At Backlash, after defeating Randy Orton, he appeared emotional. He stood outside the ring as fans serenaded him with “Thank you Cena” chants.

There’s clearly a slow-burning storyline here. Cena seems regretful of his heel actions and may be ready to make peace with the WWE Universe. SummerSlam could be the night it happens, especially if he loses the title and breaks character to thank the fans.