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00:00We are underway.
00:19Rhodes and Cena for the Undisputed Championship.
00:23Wade, if you're Cody Rhodes, what do you need to do to keep the title?
00:27You simply need to be yourself.
00:30You historically have competed against John Cena when you were always the underdog.
00:34The roles tonight have completely flipped.
00:36Today, Cody Rhodes is the hot ornament of WWE and John Cena is a massive underdog.
00:57Pat, can John Cena pull off what many think is the unthinkable tonight?
01:05Absolutely.
01:06This big match John for a reason.
01:08Any given night could be a John Cena night,
01:12no matter how long it's been since he's got a dub.
01:16Cuz once you get in there, you're gonna feel the aura of John Cena.
01:20You're gonna feel the energy of a stadium with John Cena inside of it.
01:24Cody Rhodes has had a lot of big moments tonight.
01:27His biggest without a doubt.
01:29Shoulder tackle by Cody and Cena regroups.
01:32For John Cena, he won his first world title all the way back at WrestleMania 21,
01:37when he defeated the now Hall of Famer JBL.
01:39And it was that night I talked to JBL in a bar after that matchup.
01:43And he looked at me and Michael, he said,
01:45this guy's name is going to be Big Match John.
01:49He is going to be massive and big events for the rest of his career, and he has been.
01:53Can John Cena do it one more time tonight?
01:56John Cena, a little different John Cena than what we've seen in the past.
02:11You would think Cody would have a lot of film study capabilities, but
02:15we haven't met this John Cena in the ring once.
02:20Seemingly taunting the crowd, giving them nasty looks,
02:23telling them they're bums like he's been doing for the last couple months.
02:26Historically, the high-pitched voices used to cheer for John Cena.
02:31The deep voices were booing.
02:32Now, they seem to be in unison.
02:35Screw John Cena.
02:37John Cena in his ninth world title match at WrestleMania.
02:41For Cody Rhodes, this marks his fourth straight main event at the big show.
02:48John Cena's not scared to use the ropes, he could take a break,
02:50not scared to step outside, get a timeout.
02:53This is the new John Cena.
02:54I was looking at some statistics earlier, it's interesting.
02:57Cody's 0-4 against Cena in his career, but Wade,
03:00those numbers could probably be tossed out the window.
03:02That was well over a decade ago.
03:03Look at all those, like stardust, who else are we talking about?
03:06Very young Cody Rhodes.
03:08This is a different animal.
03:09John Cena claimed that Cody was a scared little boy.
03:13It's like he's missed the last eight years of growth of Cody Rhodes,
03:16who has turned into absolute leading light of this industry.
03:20Cody won the title last year when he finished the story at WrestleMania.
03:23He's the crown jewel champion after beating Gunther in Saudi Arabia.
03:27And a nice headlock takedown by Cena.
03:30Cena needs to keep the pace of this match slow.
03:33Definitely.
03:35Anytime the old guard's taking on the young guard, you wanna keep that thing at a slow pace.
03:39And scissors applied by Cody Rhodes.
03:43John Cena's got a timeout or two already.
03:46Cody Rhodes sends Cena outside again and John's gotta regroup.
03:49John Cena has just been a step behind from the word go in this one.
03:54Is that age?
03:54Cody is swarming it.
03:55Is that age?
03:56It's age, it's ring rust.
03:57Old Father Time is undefeated.
03:59John Cena can get a great promo.
04:01And Cody with a suicide dive and Cena's taking out.
04:04And Cody Rhodes is fired up tonight.
04:06John Cena's taking a lot of personal shots at Cody over the last few months.
04:10Cody Rhodes has sent a few back as well.
04:13Said that John Cena can't wrestle and now Cody's wrestling his best he's ever done.
04:18A big right hand.
04:20I think John Cena wants to prove to the world that he can wrestle tonight.
04:23Hence yet another side headlock on Rhodes who backs him into the corner.
04:27His best offense so far has been a big right hand.
04:29The last thing a heavyweight will lose is his punch.
04:32We've seen very much in the way of wrestling from John Cena thus far.
04:37And Cena now stomping away on Cody Rhodes and now the meanness comes out of Cena.
04:42Whatever has set him off into this current state,
04:46it eats Cena up inside as Cody is driven into the corner.
04:49I mean, despite his recent actions, I still stand behind the claim that John Cena is the GOAT,
04:55that he is the greatest of all time, and he could prove that tonight.
04:59Tonight's stat, if he became the all-time leader in title range,
05:03you'd have to say he's the GOAT as a matter of fact.
05:06Deep down, he cannot beat Cody Rhodes in a good, clean fight.
05:11He has to turn this into a dogfight.
05:14Absolutely, muddy it up a little bit, slow it down a little bit.
05:18Old John Cena's a GOAT for a reason, he knows how to win matches.
05:22WrestleMania 20, the first time we saw John Cena on the grand stage.
05:26Now at WrestleMania 41, it'll be the last time that we've seen John Cena at WrestleMania.
05:31Stomp right to the leg, and John Cena tries-
05:36Of Cody Rhodes.
05:41Still has that immense power that he's always had.
05:43And I like what John's doing here, Wade, the pace.
05:45Slow pace to the matchup, not trying to get himself all tired and out of sorts early on.
05:50Endurance, you're always gonna back the younger guy in that kind of situation.
05:54Especially a guy like Cody, who's in the ring each and every week, three or four days a week.
05:59He's our champion, he's in his prime.
06:02Cena's gotta get him out of that for a night.
06:06Wade, you know better than anyone, you can work out in the gym as much as you want,
06:09but it doesn't prepare you for what you have to do inside the wrestling ring.
06:12You can do miles and miles on the treadmill.
06:14Absolutely worthless when you get to game speed in the ring.
06:18Try inhaling when you're getting kicked in the gut repeatedly by the likes of John Cena.
06:23And Pat, what we're seeing here, does this get in Cody's head a little bit?
06:26John's sort of dominating, playing with him a little bit.
06:28And it's not like what we've seen before from John.
06:31Those are two just big kicks that have cleared out.
06:35Cody Rhodes, a big lariat there.
06:37John Cena's got a new offense apparently, and Cody's reeling.
06:42And another clothesline by Cena, covered out for the championship.
06:45Cody at one.
06:46And look, something we haven't really focused on is the amount of pressure on the shoulders of Cody Rhodes.
06:51It's not just a championship match here.
06:54He is trying to defend the future of this industry, the legacy of that championship
06:59that has so much history behind it that John Cena wants to take home for good.
07:04And wait, it's also the legacy of Cody's family.
07:06I did an interview with Cody Rhodes for the countdown show.
07:08We talked a lot about the tremendous rivalry that Cody's late father,
07:13Dusty Rhodes, had with Ric Flair.
07:15One of the greatest rivalries in professional wrestling history.
07:17And I asked Cody if he felt something like that he couldn't let Ric Flair down,
07:21and couldn't allow Cena to beat that title reign.
07:24And Cody said he did feel some of that pressure, that he didn't want to let Flair down.
07:28He's been such a mentor in his career as well.
07:30And that can be a kryptonite to Cody Rhodes.
07:32He does have a certain hero complex at this point as the leading light of this industry,
07:37which is at the absolute peak.
07:39And he feels solely responsible for holding it together.
07:42Dice slam by Cena, cover, championship up for grabs, and Cody kicks out.
07:47And what I'm seeing out of Cena now is the confidence.
07:49It's not a cockiness right now, it's a confidence.
07:52Jon feels like he's back in this thing.
07:55He feels like he's at home.
07:56That's because he's back at home, exactly, Cole.
07:58In between those ropes, that's where John Cena spent most of his life.
08:02The opening five minutes of this match, John Cena looked like a dead man walking.
08:06This is turned around in a big way, is the experience factor.
08:10He knows exactly what he's doing, where he's doing.
08:13John in tremendous shape as well as he takes a seat on the top rope and
08:17watches Cody make it to his feet.
08:19There's a big axe handle right across the top of the head.
08:21Cody looks a bit out of sorts here.
08:23Certainly, John Cena knows what to do and when to do it.
08:26We'll talk about the pressure on John Cena's shoulders, the final ever WrestleMania.
08:30If he loses this match, what happens to the rest of this retirement tour?
08:35Do we just cancel it?
08:37Does he go away for good?
08:38He kinda has to win here.
08:40I don't think that's the case.
08:41I think if he wins in his last one against Cody Rhodes, who hopefully has another 15.
08:45And again, he's gonna feel great about himself.
08:50John Cena said the last time is now.
08:53He might be walking out of here as the record breaking champ.
08:55Wade, so far, this has been a pretty perfect match for John Cena.
09:00Yeah, he rode out an early storm from Cody Rhodes and now he's dictating the pace and
09:05turning this into the kind of fight that-
09:06And Cody belts!
09:08John Cena, but just a little too slow on those ropes against the best on planet Earth.
09:14We went back to the well too many times and our champion's not gonna let that happen.
09:18Cody trying to fight back with the big blows and then a shot right to the eyes.
09:21Official, senior official Chad Patton, I don't believe Sean.
09:25Such a veteran.
09:26Cover!
09:28Kick out.
09:28John Cena just tried to steal a little bit of a cover there because I think the eye gouge had Cody
09:37completely out of sorts.
09:38Yeah, we see him on that pin just pressing his weight right on the chest
09:43of Cody Rhodes, making Cody Rhodes work hard just to kick out.
09:46Yeah, look at the smile and Cena's laughing at Rhodes.
09:49It's a wear down factor, gradually grinding down the endurance, the spirit, the will of Cody Rhodes.
09:59John Cena's ring IQ is just second to none, and we're witnessing that first hand.
10:11That's why he's the goat weight, that's why I say that.
10:13Cena ripped across the ring by Rhodes, Rhodes runs into a boot again.
10:18John Cena, tornado DDT by Cena, cover, hooks the leg, almost had him.
10:25This turned up the speed real quick.
10:28John Cena lifts the boot, then a tornado DDT.
10:32John Cena has turned this into a chess game of bouncing with the big artillery at the right moments.
10:38Close Sicilian right now.
10:39John Cena's thinking two, three moves ahead of Cody Rhodes.
10:42And you don't think about this smile, right?
10:44And the laugh.
10:45Cody had made such a big deal about Cena can't wrestle, so did the WWE fans.
10:49I think Cena's proven a lot of people wrong tonight.
10:52And John Cena, shoulder tackle.
10:54Uh-oh.
10:55We've seen this before.
11:01Right?
11:01I've never seen this pause before.
11:03Remix of sorts.
11:06And every time there's a break in the action, John Cena just mouthing trash to Cody Rhodes.
11:15Another tackle by Cena.
11:17You have to think, is Cody Rhodes' mind moving back in time at this point to his past as Stardust,
11:24or dashing Cody Rhodes when John Cena would eat him alive in that way?
11:27That's a really good point, Wade.
11:29I never thought about that, but the metal games that John can play with Cody.
11:33Cody, in some way, probably never thought he could ever match up to what John Cena was all about.
11:38And Cena may be proving that again tonight.
11:40He's breaking the psyche of the American Nightmare, and this has gone horribly wrong for the champ.
11:46Look at the slow motion almost that John Cena's doing.
11:49Just a matter of fact through the moves.
11:51I mean, you sort of got to applaud what Cena's been able to do tonight.
11:55And we all know where this is headed.
11:57Shoulder tackle, shoulder tackle.
12:05Cody, hook to the eye.
12:08No five knuckle shuffle.
12:10Rody up over the, there it is, power slam by Cody.
12:13A little taste of your own medicine, John Cena.
12:16Something awakening inside Cody Rhodes.
12:19He's ready for a dogfight.
12:20Off the second rope, disaster kick by Cody.
12:22Here comes Rhodes.
12:23And Cody's firing up.
12:28John Cena was taking his sweet ass time.
12:31Cody was gathering strength.
12:36You understand the reaction from the WWE fans tonight.
12:39Many of them wanted the greatest hits from Cena.
12:41Cody Connor from Rhodes, cover to retain, hook to the leg.
12:46John kicks at two.
12:53The Cody Cutter has ended matches before.
12:59Couldn't end one tonight, but it was hit perfectly on the grandest stage.
13:03And now Cody, speaking of his pops, the late great American dream.
13:10The southpaw unloading.
13:12A little bionic elbow, but John Cena didn't allow him to have it.
13:15Drop toehold.
13:17And Cody Rhodes creates space.
13:19Cena again, looking for the AA to Cody.
13:22Cena's gonna do it, AA to Rhodes.
13:25Cody kicked out at two, that close.
13:30An attitude was adjusted, but a record wasn't broken.
13:34Just when Cody was trying to build up a head of steam, the AA connecting.
13:39And the kick out from Cody, which perhaps not enough yet taken out of the chamber.
13:45We are inching closer to a championship change here.
13:50I'm beginning to believe too, Wade.
13:54John Cena has turned back the clock a decade.
13:58The last five knuckle shuffle.
14:00Of WrestleMania, perhaps.
14:04And he's got Cody up again, looking for another AA.
14:07Cody able to slip down underneath, roll through, shoulders down.
14:09Can he get Cena?
14:10And a kick right to the face.
14:13And Cody blocks, in a right hand by Cody.
14:21Cody caught Cena with a right.
14:24Rhodes now up to the top rope.
14:25And a great move by Cena.
14:27Wonderful move by the veteran.
14:28Yeah, I can't knock him for that.
14:30That was the right move at the right moment.
14:32You don't like it.
14:33It's not something historically John Cena would have turned to.
14:36But these are desperate times in the final year of the career of John Cena.
14:41I think it showcases that Cena still has that feel.
14:45Do exactly what he needed to do.
14:50Cena to the second rope.
14:52John Cena hoping to put an exclamation point on the main event of WrestleMania Sunday.
15:02Cody on his shoulders.
15:03Cena with an AA!
15:06Middle of the ring for the 17th world title kick out by Cody.
15:12A super AA followed by panic in the eyes of John Cena.
15:18How quickly the confidence goes away with this avalanche AA from the second rope by Cena.
15:25He thought he had him.
15:27We thought he had him.
15:28Cody stayed alive.
15:29And this is the moment the master plan starts cracking in the mind of John Cena,
15:34who has dictated 90% of the matchup, hit his nuclear weapon, and it simply didn't work.
15:42He's underestimated the resolve of Cody Rhodes.
15:46John Cena's rolling through the Rolodex of moves throughout the past 21 years of WrestleManias.
15:52What is it gonna take to put Cody Rhodes away?
15:56Cena from the top rope.
15:57Cody Rhodes caught him!
15:59Stacks him up!
16:01Kick out by Cena.
16:03Well, that's just answered the question for me.
16:05How deep can John Cena dig when he's on defense, when he's taking heat,
16:11when he's getting beaten around the ring?
16:13And that was a massive, massive impact high on the neck and shoulders of John Cena.
16:18And he had an answer for how much longer?
16:21Well, that's the problem.
16:22The longer this match goes, the better off it is from Cody Rhodes.
16:27Top rope for Cody.
16:29Cody caught it from up top.
16:31He caught Cena to retain.
16:33Hook of the leg.
16:34John kicks out again.
16:35Both of them have hit their best shot on each other.
16:42Well, there was a huge question mark about whether John Cena can reach his historical
16:47best on the offense.
16:48Yes, but taking a beat in two, and he's still kicking out after some of Cody Rhodes'
16:54greatest hits.
16:55And again, guys, John Cena has nothing to lose here.
16:59This is his last WrestleMania.
17:01John Cena is playing with house money in Vegas.
17:04Cody Rhodes has all the pressure on his shoulders tonight.
17:08John Cena's been in Hollywood.
17:10Looking for Crossroads.
17:11John Cena turns it around.
17:12Cena with Cody up again.
17:13Looking for another AA.
17:15A third one tonight.
17:16And now he's gonna turn it around.
17:18John Cena turning back the clock.
17:20The STFU from John Cena.
17:24Cody Rhodes scrambling for his dear life, scrambling to keep a hold of the championship.
17:30The hold that gave Cena championships.
17:33Cody Rhodes trying to drag himself to the bottom rope.
17:36Rhodes' championship reign could be fading.
17:39Cena, Cena desperately trying to put him away.
17:43Bites his arm.
17:44Do whatever you have to- Oh, God.
17:46Back to the center of the ring again.
17:48Cena gonna lock it in one more time.
17:50Get the hell out of that, Cody.
17:51Cody Rhodes, can he somehow survive?
17:54Cody could be fading.
17:56This could be it for Rhodes' over one year reign as champion.
17:59No.
18:01The Goats trying to tap him out or knock him out or pass him out in the middle of the ring.
18:06Cody trying to dig down deep.
18:08All the grit, the determination, everything he worked for to finish the story last year
18:13is on the line here tonight.
18:15Can he make it to the bottom rope?
18:16Can Cody make it to the bottom rope?
18:18John Cena says no.
18:21Cena grabs him back again.
18:22No, you cannot.
18:24And Cody turns it around and referee Chad Patton take it out.
18:29Well, Cody's out there.
18:31There's been so much sucked out of him already.
18:33Cody Rhodes from behind.
18:37Crossroads of Cena.
18:38The problem is there's no official.
18:43Cody has the title retained.
18:45Chad Patton is out.
18:46Well, sometimes you don't have to be the better man.
18:53You have to be the luckier man.
18:55And John Cena.
19:01John Cena just came up with all of the aces inadvertently taking out the referee.
19:09Cena was a beaten man there.
19:11And Cody now trying to check on the official, get him waking up.
19:14Now he's actually looking to the back to see if we can send another official down.
19:17Meanwhile, John Cena, you would never would have seen Cena do this in the past.
19:21But John Cena has exposed the steel turnbuckle here, ripping the pad off.
19:25Wow, the ref's still out of it.
19:27John Cena says, I'll do whatever I please.
19:30And now Cody and Cena exchanging blows in a critical moment of this match.
19:35And Cody, no, no.
19:37And off the steel.
19:40And a second time off the steel.
19:42It's like a hammer to the head.
19:44And Cena now, with his, is that the fourth AA?
19:49Cover, Patton's back in it.
19:51One, two, three.
19:53Cody kicks out.
19:56What a match.
20:01What is it gonna take?
20:03And now, John Cena's beginning to believe what Cody Rhodes is all about.
20:10Well, it suddenly feels in John Cena's mind like Mission Impossible.
20:16Cuz he's up against a man chose.
20:18God damn it.
20:23Wait a minute.
20:29Well, he was at WWE World earlier today.
20:35Travis Scott is here.
20:49The Jack boys are in the building too.
20:53Shaq West and Chase B.
20:55The Tactic Jack crew is at WrestleMania.
21:02And we know what Travis Scott did to Cody Rhodes back at Elimination Chamber.
21:08One of the-
21:11The Jack boys two on the way waiting.
21:15It feels like things have just gotten a bit interesting.
21:20Well, it seems like you're a massive fanboy of Travis Scott.
21:23I think he's a cheap shot artist.
21:26And what the hell he's doing?
21:27Inserting himself into the main event of WrestleMania.
21:31He gave Cody Rhodes a black guy, he busted his eardrum.
21:34You don't think he's here because The Rock told him to be here?
21:37Come on.
21:39I don't like it at all.
21:41He's also the man who created the official theme of WrestleMania.
21:46V, V, V, V, V, V.
21:50And Scott just slowly sauntering down to the ring.
21:56Cody Rhodes is a beaten heap in the middle of the ring.
22:01And John Cena all smiles for the arrival of Travis Scott.
22:05Let me help you up here, friends, says John Cena to Travis Scott.
22:19Travis Scott on the apron, calling the shots.
22:26Well, dangerous situation here.
22:27Cody Rhodes, though, fighting back.
22:29Cody now went out for Scott and dropped to the floor.
22:31And now Cody Rhodes goes back to Cena.
22:32Cody Rhodes looking for a crossroads on John Cena.
22:35Crossroads on Cena.
22:36Here's the cover.
22:39And Travis Scott just pulled the official out of the ring.
22:48Patton is out again.
22:55Well, referee Chad Patton couldn't make any sort of call because,
22:58apparently, he was knocked out when he hit the floor.
23:02Cody's inviting Travis Scott into the ring.
23:06Cody owes Travis Scott a major receipt.
23:12Travis Scott is actually gonna walk in the ring on Cody Rhodes.
23:16Knock his teeth out, Cody.
23:17You gotta be kidding me.
23:31Oh, no.
23:32Cody Rhodes isn't gonna let that happen again.
23:34Rhodes has got him in position.
23:39Crossroads.
23:40I get those goosebumps every time Cody Rhodes hits that.
23:47Travis Scott gets cross-roated out of WrestleMania.
23:55Guys, meanwhile, guys, meanwhile, guys, Cody, turn around.
23:57Turn around, Cody.
23:58Turn around, Cody.
23:59John Cena's in the ring with the championship.
24:05Cena with the championship.
24:06And Cody Rhodes in a tug of war with Cena over the title.
24:14And Cody now has it.
24:17And Cena begging off.
24:20John Cena.
24:21John Cena said to Cody Rhodes, at some point, you're gonna have to make a choice.
24:26Do it, Cody.
24:27Be a good guy or be a bad guy.
24:30What is Cody Rhodes gonna choose?
24:32Oh, come on.
24:33And he chose to be the good guy, and John Cena just kicked him in the.
24:39Well, there's your kryptonite, Cody.
24:42And John Cena has absolutely.
24:49No problem being a bad guy.
24:53Cody Rhodes wanted to do it fair and square.
24:56John Cena didn't give a damn.
24:58Chad Patton is back.
25:00You cannot be a perfect ambassador.
25:02Cena now, cover by Cena, cover by Cena, patents in the ring.
25:08John Cena has set the record.
25:10John Cena is a 17-time world champion.
25:16Here is your winner, and new, undisputed WWE champion,
25:29Shawn Cena.
25:34You may not like it.
25:36In fact, you'll probably hate it.
25:38But at the end of the day, like it or not, John Cena is the GOAT.
25:47There is no longer a debate.
25:49With a 17th world title, John Cena is the greatest of all time.
25:56You can call it what you want, Cole.
25:59That was a bunch of bull crap.
26:01I agree with you, Wade.
26:01And John Cena is the biggest piece of garbage I have ever witnessed in this industry.
26:07Wade, I agree with you.
26:08Screw you, John.
26:10But Ric Flair didn't win 16 world titles being a nice guy.
26:15He was the dirtiest player in the game.
26:17John Cena did the same thing tonight, and he set the record at WrestleMania.
26:24Travis Scott came out to assist.
26:29Sheck West and Chase B are here.
26:32He used the title off of Cody's head.
26:35And here we are, celebrating the greatest of all time, when it was all said and done.
26:43It is going to be an interesting Pat McAfee show tomorrow morning,
26:47when John Cena appears at 1215 Eastern to talk about what was an incredible main event
26:56up to the point when Travis Scott arrived.
27:00Travis Scott saved John Cena.
27:03Then he went to smack Cody in again and found himself on the wrong end of a crossroads at WrestleMania.
27:12But this was the moment of truth.
27:18Remember John Cena?
27:19Cena said a little bit ago that, Cody, you're going to have to make a choice at some point.
27:24Do you want to be the good guy or do you want to be the bad guy?
27:28Cody decided he wanted to be a good guy, and it cost him the championship.
27:33Because John Cena had no issue tonight being that badass SOB.
27:39And because of what he did, John Cena now stands at the pinnacle of professional wrestling
27:46with a 17th World Championship at his final WrestleMania.
27:53John Cena may well have the goal, but he is not the leader of this industry.
27:58Not after this disgraceful performance.
28:0120 years of hustle, loyalty, and respect spat back in the face of anyone who stood
28:09shoulder to shoulder with John Cena.
28:13Hey, Wade, you know my feelings.
28:15I love John for many, many years, and I still respect him.
28:23But tonight John Cena has done it.
28:25John Cena has become the GOAT.
28:30Greatest of all time alongside Travis Scott.
28:34Might be an unbeatable duo.
28:36Don't forget, folks, the post show is coming up.
28:40Joe Testatore and company with plenty to break down tonight.
28:44I want to thank everyone.
28:46The over 124,000 that showed up at Allegiant Stadium over the past couple of nights.
28:52Everyone that attended every event here
28:57in Las Vegas during WrestleMania weekend.
28:59We're not done yet.
29:00We got Monday Night Raw.
29:02The Raw after WrestleMania tomorrow night here in Vegas.
29:08Good night, everybody, from Sin City.
29:11From Wade Barrett, who had a tremendous debut at the commentary desk at WrestleMania.
29:16To my buddy and co-heart partner, Pat McAfee, I'm Michael Cole.
29:21The post show is next.
29:22We'll see you tomorrow night on Monday Night Raw.
29:25We'll see you tomorrow night.
29:51We'll see you tomorrow night.
29:52We'll see you tomorrow night.