To the shock and shock of wrestling followers all over the world, John Cena turned heel by attacking Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes after profitable the Elimination Chamber in March 2025. One of many most surprising heel turns of all time, one which many people thought would by no means occur: Cena’s flip to the darkish aspect alongside The Rock’s Remaining Boss (and Travis Scott, for some purpose) made his farewell tour all of the extra attention-grabbing.
Whereas that is the primary time the wrestler-turned-actor has turned heel, Cena got here very near going from WWE’s largest hero to considered one of its most dastardly villains greater than a decade in the past.
Include me as I break down the story behind Cena’s aborted heel flip, why the plans didn’t work out, and the way they might nonetheless be used on the two-night WrestleMania 41 and different upcoming WWE occasions.
John Cena Was This Shut To Turning Heel In The Construct To WrestleMania 28
Again in 2011 and 2012, the feud between Cena and The Rock was one of many largest tales in wrestling. In some unspecified time in the future round that point, Cena was approached with the thought of turning heel within the lead as much as his “As soon as in a Lifetime” match towards a returning Dwayne Johnson. Judging by what he advised Chris Van Vliet in March 2024, the 16-time world champion was about as shut as you could possibly get to changing into a villain:
I heard rumblings of we’re gonna do it, and inside 48 hours, I had a brand new observe – a brand new studio combined theme tune, ultimate combine – I had seven new low-cut singlets with boxing-type robes, I already had the boots in storage so I dusted them off. I used to be able to go.
However, it wasn’t only a new look, new tune, and new angle within the ring, Cena was able to go all the best way and develop into the precise reverse of his character on the time. No extra Make-a-Want moments, no extra particular appearances, no extra merch gross sales, no extra “hustle, loyalty, respect.” Mainly, he was going to develop into every part he stood towards on the time.
There Had been A number of Methods To Flip Cena Heel In 2011 And 2012 Earlier than The Match
Cena was on the peak of his babyface run within the build-up to WrestleMania 28. He was years away from taking over a part-time schedule to deal with his performing profession, he was always holding the WWE Championship, and he was promoting merchandise at a stage that had by no means been seen earlier than and can in all probability by no means be reached ever once more. And whereas he was getting closely booed by older members of the viewers, particularly through the Summer time of Punk in 2011, he was very a lot the fan-favorite for a big portion of the WWE Universe.
Nonetheless, there have been loads of methods WWE might have turned its high star into the largest heel since Hollywood Hogan a decade-and-a-half earlier. Cena instantly difficult Rey Mysterio after the masked luchador received the vacated WWE Championship might have been a spot, as might his story with Zack Ryder in early 2012. Hell, they might have turned him in his feud with CM Punk, who was on high of the world on the time.
However Vince McMahon Determined To Scrap The Plan For A Fairly Apparent Cause
John Cena turning heel again then would have been the largest story in wrestling and a landmark second within the sport’s historical past. I imply, simply take a look at all the excitement that’s surrounding his flip in 2025, and it’s straightforward to see how this might have put much more eyes on the product main as much as WrestleMania 28. So, why didn’t it work out and why had been the plans squashed?
Throughout an look on the One thing to Wrestle With podcast in December 2024, WWE Corridor of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield offered some perception into why the previous WWE Chairman didn’t need to flip his largest babyface right into a heel, regardless of how a lot consideration it might garner. No shock right here, but it surely got here right down to Cena being the largest merch vendor within the firm, and turning him heel would severely minimize into that success.
Equally, Cena later defined on the Pat McAfee Present that if the heel flip had occurred, he advised WWE brass that it must be for the lengthy haul and never a scenario the place he would flip heel after which again to being a face in a brief period of time.
So, How May These Plans Come To Fruition In The Lead To WrestleMania 41?
Although Cena wouldn’t flip heel for greater than a decade after these preliminary plans fell by, there’s nonetheless a approach these concepts might be used within the construct to WrestleMania 41, the place he’ll problem Cody Rhodes and try and develop into probably the most adorned champion of all time. Actually, it seems like he’s already been constructing to this second since kicking off his farewell tour again on the primary episode of Uncooked on Netflix.
He entered the 2025 Royal Rumble late within the match, proclaimed himself a participant within the Elimination Chamber with out having to qualify like everybody else, and hasn’t been displaying up on TV whereas he movies considered one of his upcoming motion pictures. He has new merch, however come on, that is Cena we’re speaking about. And whereas it’s unlikely he stops granting Make-a-Want requests, the brand new heel in WWE didn’t reply a single query at post-Chamber presser. If he will get new music and a brand new look, we’re completely in enterprise.
What Can We Count on From A Heel Cena In His Remaining Run?
In a super world, Cena would defeat Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 and go on a legendary heel run because the WWE Champion, during which he would finish issues by having killer matches with the likes of CM Punk, Randy Orton, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns. Although he might nonetheless have that superior collection of matches with out the title round his waist, seeing an evil John Cena with a brand new “The Champ is Right here” shirt can be so nice.
Regardless if he spends the yr as champion or not, I believe his entire retirement tour ends with him placing over a younger babyface in his ultimate match, one that may assist him exit with a bang whereas additionally getting some redemption to convey the yr, and his profession, to a detailed. And, TNA World Champion Joe Hendry can be the proper particular person to get the rub as Cena hangs up his boots.
After ready years and years to see John Cena flip heel, witnessing the dream develop into actuality is one thing that wrestling followers all over the world are going to look again on fondly for years and many years to come back.