Cody Rhodes Forces John Cena to Sign SummerSlam Street Fight Contract – The closing segment of the July 18 episode of WWE SmackDown featured a heated contract signing between Cody Rhodes and John Cena, escalating their SummerSlam feud in dramatic fashion. While their match had already been announced, the contract needed to be made official—and Cena initially refused to sign it.
Cody kicked things off by addressing the crowd and building anticipation for their upcoming showdown. Cena then entered the ring and dropped a bombshell: he would not be competing at SummerSlam. Citing his filming schedule for a major Netflix movie and claiming he was “emotionally exhausted,” Cena said, “We all feel it is best that I don’t compete at SummerSlam.” He told Cody he could have his rematch in “Paris or Perth,” but insisted he couldn’t commit to August 2–3 at MetLife Stadium.
The crowd didn’t take the news lightly, and neither did Cody. As Cena tried to justify his withdrawal by calling it “best for business,” the boos grew louder. Cody stood up and demanded Cena sign the contract anyway. Cena refused, saying that signing it would mean he had to be there—something he claimed wasn’t possible.
That didn’t sit well with Cody Rhodes. He attacked Cena outside the ring, dragging him back in and attempting to force his hand. Cena briefly got the upper hand, slamming Cody into the steel steps. But once back in the ring, Cody ducked a title shot attempt, nailed Cena with the belt, and climbed the ropes. He launched himself off the top with a splash, landing on Cena while holding the contract binder, then physically forced Cena to sign the contract by pressing the pen into his hand.
Cody then announced the stipulation: their match at SummerSlam will now be a Street Fight.
SummerSlam 2025 takes place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, across two nights—August 2 and 3. This will be the first-ever two-night SummerSlam, and with tensions this high between Rhodes and Cena, their street fight promises to be a major highlight of the event.
Cody Rhodes Forces John Cena to Sign SummerSlam Street Fight Contract
