The WWE Universe is excited to see the People’s Champion, The Rock turning heel recently. Another person whom the fans wanted to see turn heel was John Cena. Recently, the 16-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion revealed that there was a point in time when he was going to turn heel.
While speaking to Chris Van Vliet on his Insight podcast, John Cena revealed that he was supposed to flip the switch on his heelish persona during the biggest feuds in pro-wrestling history. It was the first time he and The Rock feuded with each other.
Cena mentioned that he had a new theme song ready and was ready to turn completely heel.
“It was Cena Rock 1. I got word that they were going to do it. I went out and recorded a new song. I went out and got all new gear. I wasn’t prepared for Ruthless Aggression, that was the last time I wasn’t prepared. I mean, I heard rumblings of we’re going to do it. And in 48 hours, I had a new track, a new studio mix theme song, final mix. I had seven new singlets, low-cut singlets with boxing-type robes. I already had the boots in storage, so I dusted them off. I was ready to go and already thinking about like what I could do with the story.”
John Cena was ready to go against everything he ever stood for
The Leader of the Cenation decided to do the opposite of what he had been preaching for over a decade.
“Okay, what is a heel? A heel is not just new gear. The objectivity, or the message behind the singlet and the boxing robes and the boots is the exact opposite of what you saw with the street gear, the jeans shorts, the t-shirt, the ball cap, the sneakers, no, go the opposite route. And now lean into the opposite of everything you stand for. So I would begin to not work as hard. I would show up less, I would be untrustworthy and unloyal. I would lack respect in what I did. Like all you have to do is turn that on its [head]. I would give up a lot.
John Cena was in too deep and thus couldn’t turn completely heel
“All those things you can take and make interesting stories. And this is the stuff that’s running through my head, not what moves can I do. It’s like how can I take the intellectual property that people are familiar with and twist it so it’s like this guy is insane. It’s everything I’ve come to love and now I genuinely hate it. And in being a real bad guy, and I think that was the conversation that was eventually had where it’s like, okay, it’s a bad idea.
“I’m like… ‘Hey, I know this is going to sting but I’m not going to sell another T-shirt, I’m going to take all merchandise off the market. I’m not going to put out anything new, I’m not going to do any more appearances, I’m not going to do any Make-A-Wish. I’m not going to do anything like that, I’m going to be a bad guy to make your good guy so your good guy does all that. And that’s when I was like we’re kind of in too deep. So it worked out the way it worked out. But bro, I was ready,” John Cena said.
Would you have loved to see Cena turn heel?
