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The passing of the torch only happens a few times in pro wrestling and Cody Rhodes and John Cena added another chapter to WWE lore at SummerSlam on Sunday night.
Rhodes defeated Cena to regain the Undisputed WWE Championship in an epic street fight that finished off an incredible weekend at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It marked the second title reign for Rhodes after he won the championship at WrestleMania 40.
Cena came out to his classic “My Time is Now” song in an apparent full circle return to his babyface ways. The crowd at MetLife Stadium erupted, even Rhodes smirked.
But the pleasantries soon went away.
It was a street fight for the Undisputed WWE Championship on a night that already featured a ton of violence. But there were many questions for both competitors going into the match. Could Rhodes muster up some killer instinct to put Cena away? Was Cena really going to dig deep into his soul to find himself and become Superman one last time?
Rhodes took Tyrese Haliburton’s crutch to the back. He slammed Cena onto the steel steps but then also ate these same steps. It was early in the match but the two proved they were going to go to great lengths to capture the biggest prize in the WWE.
Cena struck first with the Attitude Adjustment out of nowhere. He tried to pin Rhodes but to no avail. It was too early to put the “American Nightmare” down. Rhodes had tried already to pin Cena off his lesser moves but Cena was ready and not beaten enough.
Almost frustrated and too inside of his head, Rhodes hit a disaster kick and a Cody cutter. Still, the pin attempts weren’t going to work on the 17-time world champion.
Rhodes then pulled off a move that was technically banned – the piledriver. Cena wouldn’t go down and he played opossum a bit to stun Rhodes with an Attitude Adjustment soon after. Both wrestlers were deep into their bag.
The fight moved to the outside of the ring and Cena was on the hunt. He hit Rhodes with a microphone and then a Code Red. He cleared the Spanish announce table and propped Rhodes on his shoulders while standing on Michael Cole and Wade Barrett’s table. He then hit Rhodes with the Attitude Adjustment through the Spanish announce table.
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Cena rolled Rhodes back into the ring and tried to pin him. Still, Rhodes wouldn’t go down.
One more gasp of air and Rhodes was able to counter Cena and hit a Cross Rhodes soon after Cena’s pin attempt. Rhodes then covered Cena but couldn’t get the three count.
Frustrations boiled over for both men. They took the fight into the crowd – far away from the ring which they needed to complete the win. Cena and Rhodes fought around the stadium and back toward the ramp. Cena had Rhodes on his shoulders as the two went on the elevator that Rhodes used for his entrance.
Cena then hit another Attitude Adjustment. Still, he had to get Rhodes back into the ring. Cena carried him back to the ring but Rhodes used the time to get one more burst of adrenaline. As they got back into the ring, Rhodes tossed Cena through the table.
Rhodes loosened the rope and pulled it all off its hinges. The bottom rope was down and Rhodes used the entire turnbuckle to his advantage. But Cena, ever the veteran, tripped Rhodes up and choked Rhodes with the rope. The challenger turned the tables on Cena once more.
Bruised and battered the fight wore on.
Rhodes had Cena in a predicament. He hit not one but three Cross Rhodes on Cena. He thought he had Cena finished. He went for the pin but only got to two.
Rhodes then had his stunning kickout. Cena reversed Rhodes’ attempt to hit him with the title belt. Cena nailed two Attitude Adjustments and then a third from the middle rope. Still, Cena met his match. Rhodes kicked out at two.
In the final moments, Rhodes put Cena through a table. After Cena lay hanging on the ropes, he saluted Cena and hit the Cross Rhodes.
One, two, three – Rhodes picked up the win.
Cena stood in the center of the ring, signaling his time was almost up. WWE fans thanked Cena for putting on another epic display of professional wrestling.
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