Ranking Every WWE Championship Reign Of The 2020s So Far

6. Cody Rhodes (August 2025-January 2026)

If WWE had done a better job, then John Cena's heel run as WWE Champion could have lasted until his final match at the end of 2025. Instead, they panicked and put the belt back on Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam 2025. 

The American Nightmare's second stint with the gold kicked off in impressive style. He defeated Cena in a five-star match, if Dave Meltzer is to be believed, marking the first time Big Match John achieved this feat since his classic battle with CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2011. This took Cody's career total to five, in case you were wondering. 

Alas, the reign that followed wasn't up to those same high standards. Cody spent almost all of the following 159 days feuding with Drew McIntyre. He fought the Scotsman five times, but only once on pay-per-view, with the rest of their clashes happening on SmackDown or Saturday Night's Main Event. Rhodes' only other defence was against Bronson Reed, and that ended via DQ after about five minutes. 

Cody Rhodes will always have that excellent Cena match, but everything that came after was a complete snoozefest.