John Cena and Cody Rhodes kicked off this week's episode of WWE Raw with a fiery, personal confrontation that blurred the lines between performance and reality.

Cena immediately challenged Rhodes' standing in WWE, dismissing the notion that Rhodes "runs the kingdom" and accusing him of copying every secret Cena ever had. However, he claimed that despite Rhodes' efforts, he still fails to connect with the audience. Cena described Rhodes as over-rehearsed, heavily reliant on what he called "lazy gimmicks," and ultimately not authentic.

In a biting moment, Cena declared, “I am not gonna cook you, I am gonna bury you, just like I buried everyone else. I do not bury talent. I am talent. I bury mediocrity.” The remark sent a clear message that he sees Rhodes as undeserving of his current spotlight.

Cena then accused Rhodes of manipulating fans into supporting him, claiming they are nothing alike. He expressed disgust over Rhodes holding the championship and argued that Rhodes had proven one thing, that mediocrity can fool people into believing it is greatness. He also labelled Rhodes a “nepo baby” and mocked his signature neck tattoo, saying it exposed him as no different than the average fan.

“The last real champion is taking that belt forever,” Cena warned, “and you will be left as what you are, an errand boy that got lucky.”

Rhodes fired back just as sharply. He called Cena a "corporate creation" and said he was not intimidated by Cena’s verbal attacks. Taking a vulgar jab, Rhodes said Cena has “more d**k on the mic than in the short,” and rejected the idea that Cena had left WWE in a better place than he found it.

The segment was explosive, layered with personal jabs, and appeared to set the stage for a deeper, potentially career-defining conflict between the two stars.

FULL CODY RHODES AND JOHN CENA SEGMENT :

• Vince McMahon reference
• John Cena & Cody Rhodes absolutely cooking
• Cody Rhodes being called generic
• Cody reviving the “You Can’t Wrestle” chants

THIS SEGMENT COOKED 🔥🔥
#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/lfHxeuHLS4

, Nightmare Wrestling (@Jwrasslintakes) March 31, 2025