WWE: Natalya picks a winner between Cody Rhodes and John Cena at WrestleMania 41 (Exclusive)

Natalya picks a winner between Cody Rhodes and John Cena at WrestleMania 41 (Exclusive)

Modified Apr 18, 2025 16:31 GMT

John Cena (left) and Cody Rhodes (right) [Image Credit: wwe.com]

John Cena will challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41 on April 20. In an exclusive interview, Natalya explained why she wants The American Nightmare to retain his title at the event.

On March 1, Cena won the Men's Elimination Chamber match to book his ticket to WrestleMania. Following the bout, the Hollywood star turned heel for the first time in two decades. He also joined forces with The Rock and rapper Travis Scott, who legitimately slapped Rhodes during a post-match attack.

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, Natalya backed Rhodes to beat Cena in Sunday's show-closing match:

"I'm gonna be Team Cody. He's the quarterback. I'm on Team Cody. Cody said in an interview with Complex Magazine, he said nobody has ever hit him harder than I have, so my Twitter bio is 'slaps harder than Travis Scott.'" [4:04 – 4:22]

Did you know a top WWE Superstar just wrestled outside the company? More details HERE

Watch the video above to hear Natalya predict CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins and several other WrestleMania matches.

Natalya's reaction to John Cena's WWE heel turn

At the end of 2025, John Cena plans to retire from in-ring competition after 23 years on WWE's main roster. Many expected the 47-year-old to continue performing as a babyface before retiring. However, he agreed to turn heel after WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H pitched the idea.

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Natalya enjoyed watching John Cena's shocking Elimination Chamber moment and is excited to see where the storyline goes next:

"It was great. I just wanna see what's gonna happen next. Right now, in WWE and WrestleMania, it's like a great book. You wanna see what's gonna happen next when you turn the page." [5:24 – 5:35]

Cena shares the all-time record of 16 World Championship reigns alongside two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. If he beats Cody Rhodes, the retiring star will become the outright record holder with 17 titles.

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart