Former World Heavyweight Champion to replace Cody Rhodes against John Cena at SummerSlam? Exploring the possibility

Cody Rhodes defied the odds to become the King of the Ring at Night of Champions 2025, earning a shot at John Cena's Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam. However, in a stunning twist, the 40-year-old may get robbed of his opportunity courtesy of a former World Heavyweight Champion.

At Night of Champions, Cody Rhodes faced his friend and mentor, Randy Orton, in the final of the King of the Ring Tournament. He pushed himself to extreme limits during the battle, intentionally targeting his opponent's already battered back. That said, Randy Orton also pushed himself to extreme limits when he exposed the turnbuckle to hurt his opponent.

However, he hesitated to perform the Punt Kick, which could've led him to victory had he performed it successfully. The former World Heavyweight Champion's face was full of frustration after he lost to his protégé. Hence, he might finally pull the trigger on his heel turn and unleash a sneak assault on Cody on this week's WWE SmackDown. This would injure the babyface in kayfabe, thus taking him out of his SummerSlam match against John Cena.

While the truth will eventually reveal itself, the mysterious assault on The American Nightmare may ensure that Randy Orton replaces him at SummerSlam, as he finished as runner-up in the 2025 King of the Ring tournament. This potential scenario will change the landscape of WWE, but fans must note that it is just speculation for now.

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Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena at WWE SummerSlam 2025 could see several twists

Now that Cody Rhodes has successfully secured a chance to seek revenge on John Cena at WWE SummerSlam 2025, he may very well make the most of the opportunity by defeating The Greatest of All Time.

Much like he did at Night of Champions against CM Punk, John Cena could find a way to ensure he walks out with his title. He might take out the referee and land a low blow or use other shenanigans to defeat his WrestleMania 41 opponent.

There is also a chance of Seth Rollins finally cashing in his Money in the Bank contract in the main event of SummerSlam, so the future is full of surprising possibilities. It will be interesting to see what the Triple H-led creative team has in store for fans at The Biggest Party of The Summer.