John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes Needs The Rock, Botching Rhea Ripley, More WWE Raw Takes

As the European tour ends for WWE, the March 31 edition of Raw on Netflix delivered brutal moments and memorable clashes in the mix aiming toward WrestleMania 41.

At the O2 Arena in London, John Cena and Cody Rhodes traded verbal blows, referencing their pasts and diverging paths.

Bianca Belair ruled the Women's World Championship match between Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley a double disqualification after they both attacked the special guest referee.

Gunther defeated Jimmy Uso and then zip-tied Jey Uso to the turnbuckle to watch as he attacked his brother.

Logan Paul refused to fight AJ Styles anywhere but WrestleMania, and Raw general manager Adam Pearce made the match official.

Tyler Bate returned to join forces with Pete Dunne, but The New Day found a way to defeat the English pair. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods then stared down The War Raiders.

This show continued the steady build toward WrestleMania but also left plenty of questions lingering with just two editions of Raw left before The Show of Shows on April 19-20.

John Cena's heel turn at Elimination Chamber was impactful for two reasons.

The first was because The GOAT had waited so long to play the villain again in WWE. Despite many clambering to see it for a decade, he waited until his retirement tour.

The second was because he was doing so at the command of The Rock, who seemed to pull something out of Cena that fans had never seen before; a ruthless aggression left behind in his era carrying the company.

While the first has been addressed repeatedly by Cena, explaining that he was always waiting for the right time to turn on the fans, the second remains a mystery.

The Final Boss was only a passing mention in Monday's promo battle centered around whether Rhodes or Cena was the right man to carry the business forward.

The problem is that Cena's heel turn comes off too ordinary without The Rock's influence. The GOAT is just saying the usual villainous lines to articulate that he is right in turning his back.

This story can reach its next level with the return of The Final Boss, perhaps also including Travis Scott, to fully showcase why Cena's alliance with The Rock is different.

The odds should feel insurmountable for Rhodes going into WrestleMania, and The Final Boss provides that element more than Cena on his own.

It finally happened. After months of lackluster build following the Royal Rumble, Gunther vs. Jey Uso has leveled up thanks to a scene more brutal than WWE is accustomed to delivering.

It is so rare to see this much blood in a WWE segment. The visual of Jimmy's blood smeared across The Ring General's chest may be the defining moment of this rivalry.

By choosing this moment to let loose on the violence, WWE sold that this is a story to watch come WrestleMania 41.

Jey will be forced to get as serious as possible in the wake of Gunther's actions. The world heavyweight champion should face consequences of his own for attacking not just Jimmy but also WWE officials.

Of all the rivalries going into 'Mania, this one suddenly became the most heated over night.

It is unlikely to still live up to the billing in the ring, but WWE did at least finally deliver a moment that sold why this match needs to happen on The Show of Shows.

From the moment Iyo Sky won the Women's World Championship on the March 3 edition of Raw, all signs have pointed to a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania.

Former champion Rhea Ripley was not going to miss The Show of Shows while Sky and Bianca Belair fought over the world title.

Every week since, WWE has teased delivering a Triple Threat but found another way to delay the announcement.

There are just two weeks of Raw left before The Show of Shows, and WWE still has left no path forward for the championship except a Triple Threat.

Finding every way possible to sell a Triple Threat fans would have accepted on day one was an odd choice, and it is hurting the women's ability to tell the best story for 'Mania.

Ripley should have wormed her way into the title match when she signed the contract. The rematch between Sky and Mami was wasted on an expected disqualification that deflated the main event action.

Ripley went from the hottest star in the women's division to just another name in the division, bickering with two rising stars who should be trying to show they can compete with the best.

The final two weeks should focus less on whether Ripley will be in the 'Mania match and more on what it means to Sky, Belair and Ripley.

Enough of the petty games between the three. It's time to build real heat and emotion that can sell why fans should root for these competitors.

While Logan Paul is a full member of the WWE roster, his feud with AJ Styles feels the closest to a celebrity spot as the WrestleMania 41 card could deliver.

These two men have barely done anything ahead of the event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Their conflict in Madison Square Garden feels so long ago already.

Despite all of this, The Maverick has a 'Mania singles match booked while so many on the WWE roster may not make the card.

Will either tag team division make the show? Is there space to highlight women's United States champion Chelsea Green and women's intercontinental champion Lyra Valkyria?

Clearly, Paul vs. Styles is seen as a higher priority, but it does not feel like one. These two men will need to work overtime in the next two weeks to sell it.

On December 2, 2024, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods delivered one of the most reviled heel turns in modern memory.

They belittled Big E and kicked him out of The New Day, ending a 10-year partnership and friendship in the blink of an eye.

For weeks, it was made clear that Kingston and Woods had become the most hated duo in all of WWE. Even their own families turned their backs on them.

Nothing came of it. They spent months struggling for television time and did not even find a spot in the men's Royal Rumble match.

It looked likely WWE would not even have a plan for New Day at WrestleMania.

Even if War Raiders vs. New Day does make the card for The Show of Shows, which is not a guarantee, much of that initial heat on Kingston and Woods has been wasted.

A heel turn that was supposed to get the duo back on track has barely gotten them on TV, and WWE has little to show for the moment in the long run.

Even a title win at 'Mania may not be enough to get New Day back on track.