WWE Raw results, recap, grades: John Cena explains his attack of Cody Rhodes, champion responds

Cena blamed the fans for his attack on Rhodes at Elimination Chamber

Since John Cena's attack of Cody Rhodes at Elimination Chamber, the wrestling world had been waiting to hear what motivated his actions. Cena delivered an answer to those questions on Monday's episode of Raw.

Cena blamed the fans' treatment of him over the past 25 years for finally making him snap. Nothing, Cena said, was ever enough for the fans, no matter how much he gave, so he was done being the good guy and was simply going to do what he wanted in his final year as a professional wrestler.

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John Cena explains his attack of Cody Rhodes, Rhodes responds

John Cena opened the show with a promo as he was drowned in boos and chants of "Cena sucks." Cena said that for 25 years he has been the victim of an abusive relationship with the fans, giving his all and constantly changing but nothing was never enough. When he struggled, the fans hated him. When he won and won and won, the fans hated that too. Cena went on to say that even fans who cheer him don't care about him, they just use him and take from him and still make him the butt of jokes. Cena said he was breaking up with the fans because he doesn't need them anymore and doesn't care about them.

Cody Rhodes finally made his entrance and kept his message short. Rhodes said that even after Cena attacked him at Elimination Chamber, he was still excited to wrestle him in the main event of WrestleMania 41. But the man sharing the ring with Rhodes wasn't John Cena and Rhodes said he doesn't want to face "this" at WrestleMania because he will run it over, run it out and retire it early. Rhodes ended things by telling Cena to go find himself because that's who he wants to wrestle, "not this whiny bitch."

Cena's delivery throughout this segment was excellent. As with any villain or pro wrestling heel, the best characters are those who are operating on not entirely incorrect beliefs that they have been wronged. Fans have been rough on Cena for almost his entire career and it makes sense that he would have eventually had enough when no matter what he does, they still treat him poorly. It is hard to fully go along with everything he is saying when he is draped head-to-toe in WWE merchandise and functioning as a walking billboard, but that's nitpicking on a level that probably goes beyond what's necessary at first glance. Ultimately, Cena delivered and Rhodes delivered and we can only hope we have a few more of these moments before WrestleMania. Grade: A-

What else happened on WWE Raw?

• Penta def. Ludwig Kaiser via pinfall in a street fight after hitting a Penta Driver. Penta was interviewed after the match and said he was setting his sights on winning the intercontinental championship.
• Dominik Mysterio pitched adding Penta to Judgment Day to Finn Balor. Balor berated Mysterio for suggesting a man that wanted to win the same title he was challenging for later in the show. Balor stormed off after calling Mysterio a snake.
• Dakota Kai def. Ivy Nile via pinfall with GTK. Nile was distracted late in the match when Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio attacked the Creed Brothers and Chad Gable at ringside.
• Rhea Ripley interrupted the WrestleMania contract signing between Iyo Sky and Bianca Belair. After some back and forth between all three women, Ripley attacked Sky and Belair, eventually powerbombing Sky onto Belair and then signing the contract herself, apparently making for a three-way match at WrestleMania, even though that is not how contracts work. Belair and Sky both attacked Ripley backstage before turning on each other and allowing Ripley to land the last shots in the brief brawl.
• Jey Uso def. Austin Theory via pinfall with a spear. After the match, Uso took out both Theory and Grayson Waller before Gunther attacked from behind. Uso broke free of Gunther's sleeper before delivering punches, ripping the world heavyweight championship belt from Gunther's waist and posing with it.
• Dragon Lee & Rey Mysterio def. The Creed Brothers via pinfall. After the match, the masked man from last Monday ran in to attack Lee and Mysterio.
• Seth Rollins cut an in-ring promo addressing last week's cage match with CM Punk and the attack from Roman Reigns. Rollins said Reigns pulling him from the cage was fortunate for Punk because he was just about to stomp Punk's head through the ring and end his career. Rollins said that he heard Punk and Reigns would be at SmackDown on Friday and he was not going to let them have all the fun so he will be there as well.
• Intercontinental Championship -- Bron Breakker (c) def. Finn Balor via pinfall after a spear. Carlito and Dominik Mysterio ran interference during the match, but Mysterio accidentally caused Balor to crotch himself on the top rope, setting up the finish. Mysterio and Carlito attacked Breakker after the match, but Penta ran in to make the save before the show ended with a staredown between Penta and Breakker.