5 Times WWE actually pulled the trigger in 2025

Even though many consider 2025 to be underwhelming for WWE, it still produced some surprising moments. One of the main criticisms of the Triple H-led creative team has been its slow-burn booking and waiting too long to execute decisions.

However, the company has pulled off some shocking moves this year, which many didn't see coming. In this listicle, we will look at five times WWE actually pulled the trigger in 2025.

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#5. Booking John Cena vs. AJ Styles

John Cena's farewell tour struggled to live up to expectations, largely due to a lackluster heel run and questionable opponents. Fans were frustrated after Cena's one-sided loss against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza. The Triple H-led creative team needed something major to ensure the remaining dates of The Cenation Leader's retirement tour lived up to the hype.

WWE succeeded in reigniting fans' excitement for Cena's last few dates by booking him against his longtime rival, AJ Styles. The Last Real Champion rallied fans on X to get a match against The Phenomenal One, which Triple H couldn't ignore. Cena and Styles locked horns at Crown Jewel: Perth, where the 17-time World Champion walked away with the victory.

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#4. Putting the Women's Intercontinental Championship on Maxxine Dupri

The Triple H-led creative team had been telling a great underdog story with Maxxine Dupri, but not many expected her to dethrone Becky Lynch as Women's Intercontinental Champion.

On the November 17 episode of RAW, Dupri pulled off a huge upset and defeated The Man to win her first title in WWE. The shocking title change surprised many, but fans were happy to see The Alpha Queen receive a career-changing moment.

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#3. John Cena becoming a WWE Grand Slam Champion

John Cena only needed the Intercontinental Championship to become a Grand Slam Champion in WWE. Fans were hoping to see Cena achieve this milestone in his last year as an active in-ring competitor.

On the November 10 episode of RAW, The Franchise Player defeated Dominik Mysterio in an impromptu match to win the IC Title for the first time in his career. While Cena had to drop the title back to "Dirty" Dom at Survivor Series: WarGames due to limited remaining dates, it was a great moment watching the legend become a Grand Slam Champion before hanging up his boots.

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#2. Putting the Women's United States Championship on Giulia

After a successful NXT run, Giulia moved to the main roster after WrestleMania 41. Initially, fans were skeptical about how the Japanese star would fare on RAW. However, she was soon moved to SmackDown and immediately made a splash.

On the June 27 episode of the Friday night show, Giulia defeated Zelina Vega to win the Women's United States Championship. While her run ended up being lackluster, fans were happy to see the Triple H-led creative team pull the trigger on crowning the Japanese star.

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#1. John Cena's heel turn

Perhaps the most shocking moment in WWE in recent times happened in 2025, as John Cena turned heel for the first time after over two decades. After winning the Men's Elimination Chamber Match, The Cenation Leader embraced his dark side and aligned with The Rock, brutally attacking Cody Rhodes.

While the subsequent run was underwhelming, the moment at the Toronto PLE will be remembered for a long time, as nobody saw Cena turning heel in his last year as an in-ring competitor.

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Edited by Parth Pujara