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Cody Rhodes Cuts Promo On WWE Smackdown On John Cena, Pays Tribute To Hulk Hogan

July 25, 2025 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
WWE Smackdown Cody Rhodes 7-25-25 Happy Gilmore 2, Mark Henry, The Naked Gun Image Credit: WWE

Cody Rhodes took a moment to pay tribute to Hulk Hogan on WWE Smackdown before declaring that he wants the real John Cena at SummerSlam. Friday’s show saw Rhodes come out to the ring for a promo addressing Cena, who he will challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam.

Before he started in on Cena, he took a moment to talk about Hogan and said that despite complicated feelings around Hogan’s legacy, he is one of the greatest entertainers and pro wrestlers of all time. Rhodes thanked Hogan and then talked about how at SummerSlam he’ll be fighting Cena in a Street Fight. He said Cena got a taste of that last week but he doesn’t want to fight this version of Cena; he wants the version who was all energy so they can beat the hustle, loyalty and respect out of each other.

Rhodes said he wanted the real Cena because he needs to know that this story isn’t just about legacy or nostalgia, but that it meant something. He vowed to see Cena next week.