John Cena is set to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against his storied rival, CM Punk, at Night of Champions 2025 in what could be his most difficult challenge to date. However, a speculative scenario suggests that the biggest threat to Cena’s reign may come from his own ally, The Rock, whose potential interference could reshape the title picture entirely.
The current dynamic was established at Elimination Chamber 2025, where Cena aligned himself with The Rock. Despite this powerful partnership, The Great One has been absent from WWE programming since, focusing on his demanding film career, which includes projects like “The Smashing Machine” and “Moana 2.”
This absence makes a potential return at Night of Champions highly impactful. Adding to the intrigue are subtle hints that The Rock may be on the verge of a character shift. Observers noted his emotional demeanor after defeating Randy Orton at Backlash 2025 and a moment of hesitation before striking R-Truth at Saturday Night’s Main Event XXXIX, fueling speculation about his allegiances.
A possible narrative could see The Rock emerge during the title match, intending to help Cena secure a victory over Punk. In a pivotal moment, Cena might refuse the assistance, opting to face his rival cleanly without any outside influence.
Such a refusal would likely infuriate The Final Boss. This could lead to The Rock attacking both Cena and Punk, leaving a path of destruction in the ring and both competitors incapacitated.
This chaos would create the perfect opportunity for Seth Rollins to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. A successful cash-in would crown a new champion in a shocking turn of events.
The fallout from this speculative scenario would be immense, potentially marking a definitive babyface turn for John Cena and establishing a new, dominant alliance between The Rock and the newly crowned champion, Seth Rollins. While this outcome is a compelling possibility, it remains speculation until the events of Night of Champions unfold.