WWE Night of Champions 2025 predictions roundtable: Is Cena vs. Rhodes next inevitable?

For the second consecutive year, the King and Queen of the ring will be determined at a premium live event (PLE) in Saudi Arabia as WWE holds its Night of Champions 2025 show on Saturday.

Despite the two marquee tournaments being at complete odds with our name here at Uncrowned, our Horsemen — Anthony Sulla-Heffinger, Robert Jackman, Drake Riggs and Kel Dansby — are gathering once again to answer some of the burning questions surrounding the event and offer our predictions, including for the latest turn in the John Cena retirement tour — a championship showdown with CM Punk.

1. Has your opinion of the John Cena heel run changed at all during the CM Punk feud?

Jackman: As a rule of thumb, the Cena heel run has worked better when he’s had a sparring partner in those television segments. The big problem with those first promos was that they were addressed to the audience, rather than anyone in the WWE, giving them that meandering, self-indulgent feel that bores the pants off of me. As soon as you have an actual human being on the receiving end of those pot-shots, particularly someone as skilled as Punk who can easily shoot back, they land much better.

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Has it changed my opinion? It’s made me feel less sour on this whole storyline in the short term, but I still don’t think we’ve seen anything (at least since Elimination Chamber) that really justifies going down this road in the first place. The Cena retirement tour was always going to be huge, but can you name one single thing they’ve achieved with this heel turn that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise? I certainly can’t.

Riggs: Not really. While the Punk feud has undoubtedly been the best part of this run, it doesn’t change how abysmal it’s been overall. Even the Punk feud was thrown together entirely out of nowhere and will likely have a short lifespan, which is a shame, considering how great they work together.

Sulla-Heffinger: Yes, due in large part to his excellent promo work last week on “WWE SmackDown.” We saw shades of what heel Cena could be during his run with Randy Orton, and it feels like we’re hitting the crescendo during this admittedly abbreviated feud with Punk. The callbacks have been incredible, and while seemingly all of Cena’s matches during this retirement tour could have been simply and successfully billed as “last time ever,” the change in character allows for these final chapters in historic WWE rivalries to be written with a fresh perspective.

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After the initial shock of the turn wore off, we had a bit of a lull and there have been a few bumps along the road, but for me, things have done as close to a 180 as possible. Hopefully, WWE finds a way to extend this rivalry until SummerSlam, but with the King of the Ring winner lurking, that’s easier said than done.

Dansby: Not really. If anything, the feud has just reminded us how great Punk still is, rather than validating Cena’s heel turn. Cena still hasn’t done enough to justify why he made the switch, and it doesn’t align with his long-term goals. That said, Punk has pulled fans into their story so well that the heel vs. babyface dynamic barely matters. It feels more like the latest chapter in a 15-year rivalry than a traditional good guy vs. bad guy setup.

2. Who needs to win the Queen of the Ring final more: Asuka or Jade Cargill?

Riggs: Man, this is kind of an awkwardly tougher question than you’d think it would be. Somehow WWE has either dropped the ball with Cargill or she’s regressed compared to her AEW run. I’m unsure of where to point the blame because that’s how well AEW booked her, but compared to others with a similar timeline of experience, like WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton, Cargill just isn’t even in that realm on any front. And I say this as someone who’s been well behind her.

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Asuka, however, is in a spot where she’s a bulletproof legend, but is still one of the very best right now, snowballing the momentum off her return run. A strong Asuka is undeniably the best Asuka, and despite her accomplishing countless accolades in WWE, you can still argue she hasn’t been treated as well as she should have been — that’s how great she is. In terms of better overall results for everyone, champions like Iyo Sky included, it’s Asuka. There’s no shame in Cargill losing to a GOAT.

Sulla-Heffinger: Pulling back the curtain a tiny bit, the trickiness that the word “need” implies is precisely why I phrased it that way when writing these questions, so I am glad it was a bit of a curveball for Riggs.

Cargill has all of the tools to be a major player at the main-event level, and no one would fault WWE for strapping the rocket to her back with a Queen of the Ring win and a title shot. Shoot, it even makes sense with Naomi currently holding Money in the Bank. Yet Cargill is still a little green in areas you want to see buttoned up at the top of the card; as impressive as she can be at times, there are moments in the ring that feel too clunky, and we haven’t seen enough live promo work in WWE to make a fair assessment. A loss to Asuka is more of a speed bump than a derailment on the Cargill hype train.

Asuka, on the other hand, is one of the best and most charismatic talents in WWE. She’d benefit immensely from a Queen of the Ring win and being immediately thrust back into the Women’s World Championship picture. Her résumé alone could always justify a title shot, but professional wrestling always works better when there’s a clear, believable path. A win on Saturday creates that for us.

Dansby: Asuka vs. Iyo Sky is a SummerSlam main event on paper, no doubt. But it’s time to pull the trigger on Jade. Her beating someone as decorated as Asuka and rolling into her first world title match in New York City is a can’t-miss moment. That’s how you make a star.

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Expect Jade to win — and don’t be surprised if Cardi B is part of her entrance at SummerSlam.

Jackman: I mentioned in our latest power rankings (in which I take on the unenviable task of ranking the 10 most compelling men and women in pro wrestling) that the exciting thing about Jade Cargill is how WWE has presented her as fearsome while still maintaining a lot of mystique around her. We really don’t know that much about Cargill given what a big deal she clearly is — and that gives her an edge over a lot of her peers.

Of course, Cargill is already straddling two plotlines, given her ongoing drama with Naomi and Bianca Belair. My suspicion is that they’re building toward some kind of big crescendo where she wins Queen of the Ring and then both of those storylines come together with a big bang. Perhaps Naomi tries to cash in during Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton at SummerSlam, but Bianca returns to thwart her and set up a grudge match later down the line?

3. Which King of the Ring finalist makes for a more compelling SummerSlam main event?

Sulla-Heffinger: I think we all know we are going to see Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship at least one more time before the retirement tour ends, but it shouldn’t be at SummerSlam. Considering how Cena has threatened to “ruin wrestling,” wouldn’t it be excellent storytelling if Rhodes loses his clear path to a rematch in the King of the Ring tournament and is forced to just say “screw it” and jump to the front of the line as we get closer to the end of 2025? Sounds a lot like what Cena did when he inserted himself into the Elimination Chamber match, doesn’t it?

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Wouldn’t it be ironic if Rhodes — when the match finally does happen — gives in and uses the championship belt to beat Cena, showing he can be corrupted? Considering the parallels between Cena and Rhodes as top babyfaces, it would be brilliant if Cena leaves WWE and is able to say “see what I did to your beloved champion? That’s how I ruin wrestling.”

All of that happens down the line if Orton defeats Rhodes on Saturday and sets up one more classic clash with Cena at SummerSlam, which we’ve already seen this year, but considering the momentum these renewed, iconic rivalries have had, it’s the more immediately compelling of the two in my opinion.

Dansby: Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena feels like the natural payoff. Cena got his win with help from Travis Scott, and now it’s time for him to right that wrong.

Having Rhodes win back the WWE title in the main event of SummerSlam Night 2 sets the stage for Cena’s redemption arc — and lets him go out as the beloved babyface one last time.

Jackman: Isn’t this one a foregone conclusion given we’ve just seen Randy Orton vs. John Cena in a match that was billed as “One Last Time”? My suspicion is that the main reason “The Viper” is in this match in the first place is to sow the seeds for a title shot against Cody Rhodes further down the line.

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The only thing that makes me hesitate slightly is that nagging feeling that Cody’s whole path to the championship is looking a little too obvious right now. On the other hand, both of the last two Universal Championship title changes were flagged up massively in advance and there’s no reason why this one would be different. I’m calling it now: Cody wins here and then at SummerSlam.

Riggs: With how ridiculous the Backlash ending was, there’s still legs to the Randy Orton legacy blood feud with John Cena. And out of pure nostalgia — and getting more time for a legendary program — I might prefer that.

For the times, though, it’s clearly Rhodes with the freshness of everything between him and Cena. As much as I’d like to see something different or even a big surprise like having Ron Killings dethrone Cena, it couldn’t be clearer that it will be Rhodes.

4. Should Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross be on this card?

Dansby: Kross just needs to be on TV more consistently, period. A few more weeks of buildup would’ve made more sense heading into SummerSlam, but WWE’s going with Night of Champions to kick this off.

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Kross has a strong cult following, so his push has to feel earned — not forced. Zayn’s the perfect guy to bring the best out of him. This should be the first of a few matches between them, not a one-and-done.

Sulla-Heffinger: No. And that isn’t to say it doesn’t deserve spotlight. It’s because I believe the best version of this match happens in a “WWE Raw” main event where it can be given 20 to 25 minutes.

I’m afraid we’ll see this finish in less than 10 and a large portion of the internet wrestling community will walk away wildly unsatisfied.

Jackman: I hate to do the whole demographics thing (bear with me), but we all know that Sami Zayn is incredibly popular in Saudi Arabia. Obviously, he’s a fan favorite in any situation, but the way WWE has leaned into his Arabic heritage and his religious identity (when they filmed his pilgrimage in the leadup to Night of Champions 2023) has basically made him an ambassador for WWE in the wider Arabic-speaking world.

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So what does that mean for the match? Well, one option would be to pursue the monster pop of giving Zayn a nice big win for the home crowd. That’s great for the immediate sugar rush, but doesn’t really help with the long-term storytelling on which Karrion Kross thrives. Alternatively, WWE could go the other way and get some turbo heat by giving Kross a dirty victory that builds to something bigger further down the line.

Personally, I’d go with the latter. Saudi crowds are super smart these days and I think they’d enjoy some good old-fashioned villainy.

Riggs: I’m surprised they added that match to this show rather than putting it on next week’s “WWE Raw.” But it’s a good surprise. Put two over dudes together who have been teasing this collision for weeks, and give it a proper spotlight. It feels somewhat rare — and honestly, more appropriate than the next match we’re talking about.

5. Is Raquel Rodriguez the centerpiece of Judgment Day now that Liv Morgan’s injured?

Jackman: Honestly, I have no idea right now. We know from reports around the Liv Morgan injury that WWE is hastily rewriting a lot of its plans on the women’s side (particularly the buildup to Evolution), so we shouldn’t discount the possibility that they don’t really know what’s going on and are playing for time right now.

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I’m more optimistic about the Judgment Day storyline more broadly. Generally I’m a big fan of slow burn angles in wrestling and I really hope that’s what we’re seeing here. They’ve been teasing the combustion of the group for a while now and some of the tensions (both with Finn and Dom, but also Liv and Finn) are much smarter and more subtle than your average wrestling angle.

Riggs: As much as Rodriguez deserves it and I’d love that, I highly doubt it. Dominick Mysterio and Finn Balor are definitely still that glue (that’s loosening), and even Roxanne Perez has already become more featured. The Ripley match and feud revisit feels just like a placeholder scramble to kill time and readjust the fallout from Morgan’s injury.

Sulla-Heffinger: I think Rodriguez is the centerpiece in the sense that she’ll be the most conflicted when Morgan returns. If Rodriguez goes on a prolonged, successful run — either as a singles competitor or with Roxanne Perez as a tag-team champion — the picture is suddenly very murky when Morgan comes back. We know where Finn Balor stands and we know where Dominik Mysterio stands, but Rodriguez is in a spot where she can become a top heel on “WWE Raw,” add a much-needed dangerous presence to the Judgment Day and even turn the Mysterio-Morgan pairing face down the line. That can all start with a win over Rhea Ripley in the street fight Saturday.

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Dansby: Honestly, it’s time to blow up Judgment Day. WWE has teased the breakup enough — now’s the moment to pull the trigger. Between injuries to key members and Carlito’s release, the timing’s right. Let Finn finally break away and tap into the Demon again. That could be the storyline that breathes new life into him.

BONUS: WWE had a huge presence at Fanatics Fest last weekend with the Superstar Entrance. If you HAD to recreate a current star’s intro, who would it be and why?

Dansby: Gotta go with the GOAT — HBK! The Heartbreak Kid had it all. The entrance music? Iconic. The gear? Flashy as hell. The pyro? On point every time. Nobody made an entrance like Shawn Michaels.

Jackman: I’ve actually done this! They have the Superstar Entrance permanently installed at the massively under-appreciated (largely because of its location…) WWE Experience in Riyadh. I visited the Experience before last year’s Crown Jewel event and got to recreate Rhea Ripley’s entrance in a makeshift costume of Seth Rollins offshoots and some sort of Venetian mask.

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Riggs: Well, I didn’t see this one coming. The easy choice has to be your favorite wrestler ever, right? So, Jeff Hardy comes right to mind, but not with the Hardy Boyz theme. We’re talking ’08 world champion Jeff Hardy, baby. No More Words. That’s the way to go.

But if we don’t count Hardy as a “current star,” which he obviously isn’t in WWE specifically, I think I have to go with Seth Rollins or Aleister Black. As a metal junkie, give me something heavy, fast and furious, or dark and in your face.

Sulla-Heffinger: The answer’s gotta be Triple H. If by some chance you could master the water spray, it’s an instant 10/10. If you can’t, the whole entrance falls flat. High risk, high reward.

Predictions

• Undisputed WWE Championship Match: John Cena (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. CM Punk

• King of the Ring final: Randy Orton (Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Cody Rhodes (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs)

• Queen of the Ring final: Asuka (Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Jade Cargill (Dansby, Jackman)

• U.S. Championship match: Jacob Fatu (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Solo Sikoa

• Street Fight: Raquel Rodriguez (Jackman, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Rhea Ripley (Dansby, Riggs)

• Sami Zayn (Riggs) vs. Karrion Kross (Dansby, Jackman, Sulla-Heffinger)

2025 standings

• Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: 23-15