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WWE Universe witnessed the go-home edition of Friday Night SmackDown before WrestleMania 41, and all the feuds lined up for the two-night spectacle. All the stars made their final moves before 'Mania started tomorrow.
The main-event segment saw the final promo between the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion and his WrestleMania challenger, the 16-time world champion and 2025 Elimination Chamber winner John Cena.
The two yet again took shots at each other. Cena called Rhodes “a kid” and told him that he would beat him easily at The Show of Shows. Meanwhile, The American Nightmare called The Franchise Player “Overrated.” Interestingly, during the segment, fans in the T-Mobile Arena were heavily booing baby face Rhodes, which came as a surprise to many.
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On that note, this listicle looks at five possible reasons why the crowd booed Cody Rhodes on the go-home edition of SmackDown ahead of WrestleMania 41:
#5. John Cena is heading to his final WrestleMania
Although John Cena turned heel at the 2025 Elimination Chamber and joined forces with The Rock, attacking Cody Rhodes brutally until he was a bloody mess, the WWE Universe still has a soft corner for The Cenation Leader as he has been an important aspect in every pro wrestling fan's mind in the past 20 years.
He has had an incredible stint in the Stamford-based promotion, and he had already declared that this would be his final WrestleMania. So, when John Cena stated that his retirement wouldn’t be fragile but permanent, fans felt a connection, and they immediately booed Rhodes.
#4. Cody Rhodes’s promos seem repetitive
Cody Rhodes has been a workhorse champion since he captured the Undisputed WWE Championship by beating Roman Reigns last year at The Showcase of The Immortals. However, the build of his every feud seems somewhat the same, and the promos he delivers are mostly about the fans, WWE staff, and how he has been carrying the company on his back.
Fans might have booed The American Nightmare for his repetitive promos with John Cena, as he has been saying similar things every week since The Franchise Player turned heel on him at the 2025 Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event.
#3. Heel Cena is over Cody Rhodes
John Cena has been a great box-office attraction throughout his career. However, his heel turn was even bigger as it became a mainstream buzz. The GOAT turning was indeed among the top unexpected moments in the business that not many saw coming.
Heel Cena has certainly gotten one over Cody Rhodes, as there are reports that he has been the top merch-seller on the WWE deck. The crowd at T-Mobile booing The American Nightmare could be another perfect example of Cena's appeal even after turning heel.
#2. The Rock didn’t show up on SmackDown
The Final Boss has been an important part of the Cena-Rhodes saga. However, The Rock hasn’t been seen on WWE television since Elimination Chamber 2025. The WWE universe was hoping for The Brahma Bull to make an appearance on the go-home edition of SmackDown at least.
Despite massive hype and buzz, The Final Boss didn’t show up on the blue brand during the Cena and Rhodes segment. This could have been cause for a major upset for the fans in the crowd, which might be why they booed the defending Undisputed WWE Champion.
#1. WWE Universe wants John Cena to win the 17th world title
WrestleMania Sunday will be an important night for John Cena and the WWE Universe for many reasons, from it being the last WrestleMania for The Cenation Leader, to Cena chasing the opportunity to craft history by becoming a history-breaking 17-time world champion, breaking Ric Flair’s record.
Cena has been picked to end Flair’s record for a long time, and fans want to see The Franchise Player win the title over Cody Rhodes, which could be billed as another reason why the crowd turned their back on The American Nightmare tonight.
However, in what is sure to please the people who matter backstage, the 39-year-old superstar was able to get the crowd to move over to his side and cheer him to end the segment.
