Remember, even during their build-up to WrestleMania 41, Cody Rhodes voiced his displeasure for having to go face the soulless version of Cena and not the one most grew up watching. There lies the beauty and the artistry in it.

Win or lose here, it feels like that’s happening. This match is his first at a premium live event since WrestleMania 40, and it’s his first singles match at a PLE since 2022. That’s a big vote of confidence, and it will hopefully lead to him and Scarlett getting re-signed and given more and more opportunities in big moments.

John Cena had some things to get off his chest. In 2011, CM Punk famously dropped the "pipebomb" promo, a scathing speech targeting Cena, Vince McMahon and Paul Levesque. Cena had his own pipebomb to share 14 years later on WWE SmackDown.