5 WWE legends who have been mistreated in 2025 and how

Many think 2025 was the biggest year in WWE history. Between the move to Netflix and John Cena’s year-long farewell tour, the stage was set for a legendary twelve months. However, for several icons of the squared circle, the new era arguably felt more like a step backward.

While some superstars are flourishing under the current regime, many veterans have found themselves on the wrong side of creative decisions this year. Now, let’s look at five WWE legends who have been mistreated in 2025.

#5. Finn Balor

Finn Balor started 2025 with reports of a renewed singles push on the horizon. Instead, the inaugural Universal Champion spent the vast majority of the year trapped in the tag team division. While he did secure the World Tag Team Championship alongside JD McDonagh, fans couldn’t help but feel The Prince was being wasted.

Balor is a world-class athlete who should be main-eventing PLEs. Instead, it appears he acted as the workhorse for The Judgment Day, eating pins to protect younger stars, and was relegated to the background, while Dominik Mysterio and Raquel Rodriguez took the spotlight.

It wasn’t until a late December promo that WWE finally teased a return to his “Prince” persona for 2026, a year too late for many.

#4. Nikki Bella

The WWE Universe was ecstatic when Nikki Bella made a shocking return at the 2025 Royal Rumble. However, the nostalgia quickly wore off as the longest-reigning Divas Champion of all time became a stepping stone for the current roster.

Despite her Hall of Fame status, Nikki’s 2025 run was defined by constant losses. From a scrapped feud with an injured Liv Morgan to being used as a stopgap opponent for IYO SKY, Nikki was rarely given a meaningful win.

For a legend of her caliber to return only to bolster the records of others without a significant story of her own felt like a missed opportunity to truly honor her legacy.

#3. Randy Orton

It is hard to believe that a 14-time World Champion like Randy Orton could ever be considered lost, but 2025 was a quiet year for The Viper. Fans believe that throughout much of the year, Orton was treated as a side quest for Cody Rhodes’ opponents.

It looks like whenever a challenger needed to look strong before facing the Undisputed WWE Champion, they were booked to beat Orton. His loss to Drew McIntyre in September and his subsequent injury at the hands of The Vision left him off television for months.

For a legend who is just two world title wins away from tying Cena and Ric Flair, spending 2025 as a secondary character in someone else’s story was seemingly a baffling creative choice.

#2. R-Truth

R-Truth is widely considered the soul of the WWE locker room, but his 2025 was a rollercoaster of disrespect. In June, the veteran shocked the world by announcing he had been released after his contract expired, a move that sparked genuine outrage and protests from the WWE Universe.

While he eventually returned as a serious “Ron Killings” character to haunt John Cena, the payoff was nonexistent. Once Cena turned babyface again, the Ron Killings’ gimmick was unceremoniously dropped, and Truth reverted to his comedy persona. Many believe that being fired (even if briefly) and then having a compelling character transformation abandoned makes Truth one of the most poorly handled legends of the year.

#1. John Cena

John Cena’s 2025 retirement tour was supposed to be a masterpiece. However, it ended up being criticized by many fans for its confusing and poorly executed storylines. From a bizarre heel turn at Elimination Chamber, where he seemingly sold his soul to The Rock, to a lack of follow-up on that very alliance, the first half of his farewell was perhaps a mess.

The lowest point came at WrestleMania 41, where Cena defeated Cody Rhodes for his 17th world title with the help of rapper Travis Scott, a finish that left the crowd in stunned silence for all the wrong reasons.

While he eventually found his footing with a classic match against AJ Styles at Crown Jewel, many believe that Big Match John’s farewell was marred by overbooked finishes and confusing character pivots that didn’t do justice to the GOAT.

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