At WWE Elimination Chamber, The Rock allied with John Cena against Cody Rhodes. Surprisingly, this marked Cena's first heel turn, although it wasn't the original plan.

Dave Meltzer shared in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that The Rock initially wanted to partner with a heel Cody Rhodes instead. He intended to influence Rhodes' character change for the lead-up to WrestleMania 41 in April 2025.

However, some within WWE believed that turning Rhodes heel could harm the company, as the current audience resonates with him. Meltzer emphasized that it would be ill-advised to alter a formula that is already working. He noted that WWE is currently trending towards being “cool” and that the focus lies on teamwork rather than just individual stars.

Meltzer also mentioned that the plan for Cena’s heel turn was originally intended for WrestleMania on April 19 & 20, 2025, but it was ultimately shifted to Elimination Chamber.