Backstage News On Why John Cena Is Back To Being A Babyface, Update On Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns Missing Time To Due Filming, The Bloodline Isn’t Scripted

John Cena’s shocking heel turn at WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto earlier this year was quietly walked back on last Friday’s episode of SmackDown, just ahead of SummerSlam 2025. Cena appeared to return to his babyface roots, but the shift wasn’t enough to stop him from losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. To close out the show, Cena was laid out by a returning Brock Lesnar, who delivered a brutal F5.

On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez addressed Cena’s face turn, revealing that WWE scrapped the heel direction because, in Meltzer’s words, “it sucked.” Additionally, the company moved forward with plans for a Cena vs. Lesnar program — one that works better with Lesnar in the villain role.

As noted in post-show comments, Triple H hinted that Cena personally requested to feud with Lesnar as part of his final WWE run. WWE is reportedly making efforts to honor Cena’s wishes as he wraps up his in-ring career.

Cody Rhodes may have just captured the Undisputed WWE Championship from John Cena at SummerSlam 2025, but his next big move is already underway — this time in Hollywood.

According to a report from Fightful Select, a new live-action adaptation of Street Fighter is set to begin filming in September, with both Rhodes and Roman Reigns attached to star.

Despite their heavy involvement, WWE remains “optimistic” that the production schedule won’t interfere with their ongoing television storylines.

Rhodes is slated to play Guile, the iconic Air Force pilot, in a role that reportedly won’t require extensive time on set. Reigns, meanwhile, is expected to portray Akuma, a central antagonist in the franchise.

NJPW’s Hirooki Goto is also rumored to join the cast as E. Honda, with additional roles filled by Jason Momoa, 50 Cent, and musician Orville Peck.

The film is based on the classic 1987 arcade game Street Fighter, which gained massive popularity with its sequel, Street Fighter II. Previous film adaptations in 1994 and 2009 failed to impress critically or commercially, but hopes are high that this version will break the trend.

Jacob Fatu made a thunderous impact upon his WWE debut, aligning with The Bloodline under Solo Sikoa’s leadership. But behind the dominance of “The Samoan Werewolf” lies a life shaped by hardship.

In a candid interview with “The Breakfast Club,” Fatu opened up about his personal journey, family struggles, and his place within The Bloodline legacy.

You can check out some highlights from the interview below:

On how The Usos changed his life: “I was 18 and I mean, I had my kids and I was locked down, I’m you know even before that as a juvenile man, you know, just just rough-headed man getting going to Juvy the whole nine. But you know, it’s different. It’s when you turn 18, man, you know, you don’t get any passes, man, they send you right up, you know, right upstate to that thing. So being locked down, man, it was weird, you know, on the toilet with 12 other dudes facing you. I mean, so then I had a double back, but I was sitting in the cell, man and flipping through the channels. I mean, you know, you always got that one TV and who comes on, man, my big cousins, The Usos. I mean, sorry man, if I get emotional, because I mean like it really double back and changed my life. So when I seen him it was like man, this ain’t it this ain’t the play, you know. I believe he says something to you know, it ain’t how you start man. That’s how you finish, I mean, and being a product of the environment. I mean, you really can’t let them. You really can’t let the environment double back on you. So man, I just got out and man I switched everything shout out to my wife I mean, so I had two kids and man, I got seven kids all together. But I had three kids at the time and I named my three the two of my kids when I was in jail And man, it just wasn’t a good look, you know and shout out to my wife though man, one of the realest ones.”

On his kids wanting to wrestle: “You know what, man, I would say this, I would say no, because I know how the life is on the road and know the ups and downs, you know? You know, cause it ain’t easy, you know? But since it kept me out the way to be a father to them, and if they love it, and if they have passion, which is my girls do, my boys is, you know what I mean? They do their own thing, but my girls, yeah, definitely. And there wouldn’t be no other way. And man, they’re so into it right now. I mean, y’all’s on the independence, they never used to watch me. Man, my kids ain’t start watching me till I got on TV. I mean, usually work like that, you know what I mean? But yeah, man, definitely my girls though, man. I know a lot of people don’t want their kids to wrestle, but like I said, man, it’s a whole another time right now.

On what fans don’t understand about The Bloodline: “Oh man, now we’re really family. This ain’t scripted. Oh, they’re related to them. No, like, man, we are really, we’re really one family. You know, this is really one family that has been with the company since the mid-70s coming from The Rock’s grandfather, High Chief, Peter Maivia, you know, to Afa and Sika, you know, Roman Reigns dad, you know, to my father, to my uncle, to the Yokozuna, man, The Great Samu, like to trickle down to, man. I’m forgetting a lot, a lot of people, but then it came all the way down to Roman Reigns, the best tag team in the world, The Usos, Jimmy and Jey, you know, all the way to my brother. I mean, we getting into it right now this Sunday, but all the way to Solo Sikoa, you know, man, these gentlemen may not only all my family, you know, and this goes back to Solo, man, you know, SummerSlam, MetLife, this Sunday in the cage, me and bro locked down, you know, it sucks because our kids and our wives at the end of the day, you know, but man, what family don’t fight? I mean, like, it ain’t your real family if you not fighting, but man, it goes all the way down to Solo and it came down to me and my brother Lance Anoa’i. So man, this goes back to what you, you know, I’m just trying to, I don’t wanna just be known as the cousin. You know, when you talk about Jacob Fatu, oh, bro, you gonna feel this, you know what I mean? So, and like you said earlier, what do we do for the character? This ain’t the character, this is me. I don’t know how to be no other way, you know what I mean? And especially being in jail, he like, oh, hell no, there ain’t no other way to be, you know what I mean? So, yeah, man, I’m just trying to just make my footprint, though, you know what I mean? This is more dynasty.”