John Cena Returns to Babyface on SmackDown

John Cena ended his controversial heel run and returned to his babyface persona during an emotional promo on WWE SmackDown, citing regret over pursuing 'shocking TV' and expressing disappointment in The Rock and Travis Scott for abandoning him. He credited Cody Rhodes for reigniting his passion and catalyzing his redemption ahead of their upcoming SummerSlam match. The episode featured Giulia successfully defending her Women's United States title, AAA stars making their debut, and escalating chaos involving Aleister Black and Solo Sikoa. Cena's face turn was met with widespread fan approval, with many viewing his heel run as a failed experiment. The segment concluded with Cena and Rhodes sharing a beer, symbolizing Cena's return to his trademark values and setting the stage for his final championship pursuit at SummerSlam. The episode built anticipation for SummerSlam 2025 with several high-stakes previews and debuts.