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John Cena's heel turn was undeniably unforgettable, even if what happened afterward may not have lived up to expectations.

TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 1: Dwayne — John Cena's heel turn was undeniably unforgettable, even if what happened afterward may not have lived up to expectations.

The stage was set and the retirement tour booked. John Cena's goal was made loud and clear upon the start of his final year in pro wrestling — he wanted to hoist a world title one final time and make history as WWE's only 17-time champion. A loss at February's Royal Rumble left him with seemingly one final Hail Mary option: WWE's Elimination Chamber in Toronto in March. And in the end, Cena did it. He overcame the odds, defeating five other men — including one of his greatest rivals, CM Punk — to earn his opportunity to challenge the Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, at WrestleMania 41.

But it was what happened immediately afterward that dropped jaws around the globe.

When heroes become villains

WWE wanted its moment to ignite the road to WrestleMania 41, and with Cena back at its disposal, it delivered an all-timer.

It was a unique scene. Rhodes was also in the midst of potentially giving his "soul" to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. What precisely that soul business was about, we may never know. But it led to a fascinating standoff between Cena, Rhodes and Johnson after Cena's win. (And rapper Travis Scott, but that part we all like to forget about.) A "go f*** yourself" from Rhodes ultimately shut down The Rock's request, and Rhodes moved to embrace his next challenger, Cena. Good seemed to overcome evil once again, and all was right in the world.

But there was no happy ending on this night.

IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.#WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/IrSkzn4j39
— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2025

Looking over Rhodes' shoulder and locking eyes with The Rock, Cena made the flip. Expressionless, the all-time good guy betrayed more than 20 years of babyface lore with one swift low-blow to Rhodes. The subsequent beatdown created one of the biggest shocks in wrestling history — Cena had succumbed to the dark side to increase his odds of getting what he wanted from his final run before the game was over.

What made Cena's turn so special and shocking was that it was beyond overdue, to the point where fans had long given up on it ever happening. All the goodwill in the world had been built up for WWE's resident superhero, yet he channeled his inner "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and joined his version of WCW's New World Order. It was unpredictability at its peak and execution at its most uncensored.

There are countless ways to dissect Cena's heel turn as a whole in the aftermath. But in a vacuum, and remembering it for what it was as it unfolded, it's impossible to deny that scene in Toronto as 2025's Wrestling Moment of the Year.

Best of the Rest

As with every year, the past year in wrestling was filled with plenty of notable moments. Here are the others the Uncrowned team all voted for in 2025:

2. Hangman Adam Page ends Jon Moxley's title reign of terror: Moxley and the Death Riders swiftly became AEW's version of the Bloodline with its seemingly never-ending storyline. Fans begged for a title change over and over again, yet several defenses made it seem as if it would never come. But then AEW's longtime "main character" and former champ returned to the mix, completing yet another phenomenal character arc. It was one of the most blatant "this must change" moments in recent pro-wrestling history, and the match that led to Page's coronation at AEW All In 2025 was nothing short of amazing.

3. John Cena taps out to Gunther in final career match: Hustle. Loyalty. Respect. Three words Gunther vowed to smear in Cena's face with his promise to make the WWE icon drop the "never" from his "Never Give Up" slogan. In the final appearance of Cena's iconic career, Gunther did just that, locking on a lengthy sleeper hold to force the tap. It was the first time Cena tapped out to lose a match in more than 20 years, and it added a second legendary name to Gunther's retirement résumé in 2025.

4. Jey Uso wins the Royal Rumble: Speaking of surprises and unpredictability, Jey Uso wasn't on anyone's bingo sheets to win the year's Royal Rumble match and challenge for a world title at WrestleMania 41. In doing so, Uso also inadvertently kick-started Cena's heel run, as the "Never Seen 17" was the man Uso last eliminated to cement his title run.

5. Naomi cashes in Money In the Bank contract, steals title amid Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky classic: Among all the stars of 2025, few shined brighter than Naomi. The veteran truly came into her own, turning over a new leaf with the best work of her career as a jealousy-driven heel. It all culminated with one of the steals of the year. In the main event of WWE's second-ever all-women Evolution PLE, Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky were bringing the house down with one of the year's best matches. But just as the action reached its crescendo, Naomi's music hit — and she took full advantage of the beaten-down competitors to snag the WWE Women's World Championship.