Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena will make his return to company programming on the July 18 episode of SmackDown. The appearance marks his only scheduled television date in July ahead of his title defense at SummerSlam, a limited schedule dictated by his ongoing acting career.
The upcoming broadcast from San Antonio, Texas, will feature a direct confrontation between Cena and Cody Rhodes, who earned the championship opportunity by winning the 2025 King of the Ring tournament. Cena’s availability has been significantly curtailed due to his commitment to filming the Netflix movie “Little Brother,” placing greater emphasis on this single appearance in the build toward the major event.
This run is part of Cena’s previously announced retirement tour, which is slated to conclude in December 2025. The tour has been defined by a significant character shift for Cena, who has operated as a villain since defeating Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41.
The SummerSlam encounter on August 2-3 will be a direct rematch of their WrestleMania main event. Following the July 18 appearance, Cena is also advertised for the August 8 edition of SmackDown in Montreal as his final tour continues.