When the Bookings Spoil the, Uh, Booking

By Scott Keith on 15 March 2025

Dear Scott,

My initial reading of the John Cena heel turn likened it to Andre the Giant's 1987 heel turn against Hulk Hogan. However, in the last week and a half my reading of the Wrestlemania finish between Cena and Cody Rhodes has changed.

At first it seemed fairly clear that Cody would prevail, but it emerged in the last week and a half that Cena, contrary to what I figured, is consistently booked on Smackdown from late April into late June, including a booking for the May 24 Saturday Night's Main Event show.

Now, today, it comes out that Backlash will take place from St. Louis, Missouri on May 10.

So, I went from a 75% certainty that Cody was winning to a 75% certainty that Cena is winning… And now it looks like a near-lock that Backlash will feature babyface Randy Orton vs. Heel Cena in the main event, with it being in St. Louis and all.

Thought that this would be a good launch for discussion about times when wrestlers' bookings helped fans “read the tea leaves” of what the booking would entail, as Cena's dates appear to for us going into Wrestlemania this year.

Thanks, and please take care.

Perfecto

I don’t really know of that many times it’s happened to be honest. Also that was some impressive Steiner math there.