WWE has good booking? Despite their multiple booking flaws, WWE is superb at giving the fans moments they will never forget. The "Yes" Movement at WrestleMania 30, KofiMania and Becky 2 Belts at WrestleMania 35, and Cody Rhodes finishing the story at Mania 40 are just a few examples of moments that made WWE stand out in the past. With that being said, here were the 5 best booking decisions in 2025.
#1: Gunther making John Cena TAP OUT in his Retirement Match
Many fans hated the idea of Cena tapping out due to his "Never Give Up" gimmick. Ironically, that reaction is exactly what a heel like Gunther needed after retiring one of the greatest babyfaces of all time. The fans should not be happy about Cena retiring; they should be sad, angry, and dissatisfied. That decision garnered heel heat for the future of this business to take the mantle and carry the legacy of John Cena through multiple title reigns in the years to come. On top of that, it was poetic to see Cena tap out in his last match to truly symbolize the end of an era in pro wrestling, as he fully transitions to the next chapter in his career as a WWE Ambassador and Hollywood Movie Star.
#2: Naomi Winning MITB & Cashing in at Evolution to become World Champion
Naomi was truly the MVP of 2025 for her nascent heel run. For years, Naomi was seen as a natural babyface, and she had shown this year that she can also be perceived as a natural heel. The "proceed with caution" gimmick was eminently marketable. The storyline pertaining to her jealousy of Jade Cargill getting all the attention from her best friend, Bianca Belair, while she is being lost in the shuffle was justifiably told. Her MITB victory and title victory thereafter were well-earned moments after what was the best work of her career. It was bittersweet to see her go at such a peak stage in her character development.
#3: Seth Rollins Aligning with Paul Heyman to defeat CM Punk & Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 41
Seth Rollins had the biggest win of his career by defeating Roman Reigns and CM Punk in the same night at Mania 41. It had a similar feel to when Chris Jericho defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock in the same night at Vengeance 2001. Rollins broke the hearts of two Paul Heyman Guys by pairing up with him in an indomitable faction that was elevating young, rising talent like Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. Many fans felt Punk should have won his first Mania main event, but this was a good booking swerve with a cliffhanger that had everyone talking weeks after Mania culminated.
#4: AJ Lee saving CM Punk from Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch
WWE made a big deal with the Brock Lesnar return at SummerSlam, but the biggest return this year was truly the AJ Lee return on that random SmackDown in Chicago, where she saved her husband from the wrath of Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch after Lynch screwed Punk out of the World Title at Clash in Paris. This was a mixed tag match between two power couples that many wrestling fans dreamed of witnessing, and it actually occurred live and in living color at WrestlePalooza this year. That return really added more meaningful layers to the long storyline between Punk and the Vision.
#5: Dirty Dom winning the IC Title back from John Cena due to an epic Liv Morgan return
WWE did a good job by not having having Cena walk into his last match as IC Champ, as that would have been unnecessary since the focus of that match should be on Cena, not the belt. Booking Cena to put Dirty Dom over on his way out was a really good call, as Dom has made the IC Title prestigious with his creative, sneaky tactics and deserved his flowers. The Liv Morgan return was the cherry on top, as she has been intertwined in Dom's stories and was in the perfect spot to make a major impact in the trajectory of the Judgment Day before indulging in the women's title hunt on the road to WrestleMania 42.
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