5 Most complained about WWE moments of 2025

The curtains have closed on what seems to be a chaotic yet historic 2025, and the WWE Universe now looks back at a year they believe shifted the landscape of professional wrestling forever.

Between the massive move to Netflix and the emotional Farewell Tour of John Cena, Triple H took bigger risks this year than perhaps any other in his tenure as Chief Content Officer.

However, with big risks come loud critics. Let's look at the five most complained-about WWE moments of 2025:

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#5. Travis Scott costing Cody Rhodes the Undisputed Title at WrestleMania 41

The main event of Night Two of The Show of Shows in Las Vegas was supposed to be Cody Rhodes’ big moment, his chance to finally cement his legacy. But instead, the outcome of the bout is remembered as a travesty by much of the WWE Universe.

Things got totally chaotic when Travis Scott jumped into the match, pulling the referee out of the ring right as Cody was about to pin John Cena. This incident sparked several reactions on the internet.

The American Nightmare did manage to take Scott out with a Cross Rhodes shortly after, but the momentum was gone. The Franchise Player took advantage of the chaos, hitting Rhodes with the title, followed by an AA to win and claim a record 17th World Championship, and making history.

The backlash was immediate; fans flooded social media, calling the ending “overly corporate,” arguing that the bout deserved a better, more meaningful finish rather than being decided by a celebrity cameo.

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#4. Brock Lesnar squashing John Cena at WWE Wrestlepalooza

When WWE brought back the Wrestlepalooza name for a September PLE in Indianapolis, the marquee attraction was John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar for one last time. Fans expected a nostalgic yet epic encounter, but what they got was a 9-minute massacre.

The Beast showed zero sentimentality for Cena’s Farewell Tour, dismantling him with six F5s in a one-sided squash match. Critics argued that during a limited retirement run, wasting one of The Franchise Player’s final big-match slots on a Suplex City show served no one and left the live crowd in a state of stunned silence.

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#3. Jey Uso winning the 2025 Royal Rumble

Jey Uso’s popularity peaked in 2025, but his Royal Rumble victory proved that being over with fans doesn't always equal being the right winner in the eyes of the internet wrestling community.

Jey entered at #20 and eliminated John Cena last to punch his ticket to WrestleMania 41, and the backlash was immediate and vociferous.

A vocal segment of fans felt the spot should have gone to someone like Cena, considering it was his final 'Rumble, or even a returning CM Punk, claiming that WWE prioritized the "Yeet" merchandise sales over a more nuanced narrative for the WrestleMania 41 main event.

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#2. Jey Uso losing the World Championship

The frustration with Jey Uso’s push boiled over during his actual title reign. After tapping out the mighty Gunther at WrestleMania 41, Jey’s run as World Heavyweight Champion lasted a mere 51 days.

He defended the gold against Seth Rollins and Logan Paul, but ultimately dropped it back to Gunther on the June 9 episode of WWE RAW. Fans complained that the short reign made Jey look like a transitional champion and devalued the prestige of the title that The Ring General had worked so hard to build throughout 2024.

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#1. John Cena's Farewell Tour

Perhaps the most polarizing creative choice of the year was Triple H’s decision to turn John Cena heel at WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto. While the initial shock decision was praised, the execution of his heel run left many fans feeling cold.

In his final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, "Mr. Never Give Up" Cena tapped out to Gunther. Major outlets like Bleacher Report gave the Farewell Tour a failing grade, citing a "lack of cohesion" and "wasted moments."

For many, The Last Real Champion's Farewell Tour felt like a missed opportunity to celebrate Cena's legacy as a hero, ending instead on a note of betrayal and a definitive submission that left the Cenation heartbroken.

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Edited by Sayantan Niyogi