Cody Rhodes was able to defeat John Cena for the Undisputed Championship in the main event of WWE's SummerSlam.
Cena, who has spent his final year as a competitor in WWE as a villain, turned back the clock and returned to his more heroic, virtuous days, much to the crowd's delight. The bout was a rematch from April's WrestleMania 41.
The highly-competitive match featured Cena and Rhodes brawling throughout the arena and using various weapons. Cena grabbed crutches from injured NBA star Tyree Haliburton, who was sitting ringside, and used them to attack Rhodes.
Rhodes pulled out all the stops, including the use of the Piledriver, a historically banned move in WWE. Cena later responded by sending Rhodes through the announcer's table with an Attitude Adjustment.
The highlight of the match came when Cena carried Rhodes through the elevator shaft that the American Nightmare uses during his entrance. Cena, after getting off the elevator, slammed Rhodes down hard onto the entrance ramp with another Attitude Adjustment.Rhodes, starting to grow frustrated, removed the bottom turnbuckle from the ring and used the metal plating to attack Cena. Rhodes performed three Cross Rhodes moves in a row, but Cena still wouldn't stay down.
Cena later delivered an Avalanche Attitude Adjustment from the second rope, but it wasn't enough. Rhodes sent Cena through a table, followed by one final Cross Rhodes, to win the match and become the new Undisputed WWE Champion.
As Cena took in the love from the WWE audience, Brock Lesnar made a surprise return and made his way to the ring wearing a dark cowboy hat.
Lesnar, without saying anything, immediately attacked Cena and knocked him out with an F5. Lesnar, an old rival of Cena's, was last seen in 2023.
