John Cena emerged victorious over Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 41 Night Two, marking a significant shift in his character following a dramatic heel turn at the 2025 Elimination Chamber premium live event. This turn stunned fans, as Cena aligned himself with The Rock, reigniting conversations around power dynamics in WWE storytelling.

The Rock had returned to WWE just weeks before the Chamber event, stating during a promo that his comeback was requested by TKO CEO Ari Emanuel to boost ticket sales. During his return, The Rock confronted Rhodes in a powerful segment, saying he wanted Rhodes’ soul. That moment, originally scheduled earlier in the Chamber show, was moved to the final segment after Cena's victory in the Chamber match secured him a WWE Title shot at WrestleMania.

In a recent interview, The Rock revealed that he suggested stepping back from the spotlight following the Elimination Chamber event. He stated, “I wanted the focus to remain on Cena and Rhodes.” The Rock also raised questions about what his role at WrestleMania would have been if he had stayed in the main event storyline. His remarks sparked speculation about backstage tensions and whether his vision clashed with Triple H’s usual long-term storytelling approach.

Dave Meltzer, speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, gave further insight into the timing of Cena’s heel turn. He noted that it was ultimately Cena’s decision to make the switch at the Chamber instead of waiting until WrestleMania. Meltzer stated, “I do not know if he said this or not… but the decision about John Cena was made on the day of the show. It was John Cena’s decision. Levesque makes the final call, but the decision came within the last couple of days.”

He continued, “If you remember, the segment with Dwayne [‘The Rock’ Johnson] was going to be earlier in the show. It was not going to be after the Rumble. They were not going to do the turn that night. The turn was supposed to be at Mania. Then John—Khan wanted to do the turn that night, so they moved the segment to the end of the show.”

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