John Cena Personally Requested That WWE Turn This Heel Star Babyface
A popular WWE heel disclosed that John Cena once requested for him to turn babyface. The star in question is Austin Theory.
Since his main roster debut in the WWE, Austin Theory has been an onscreen heel. He was also pushed as the future of the company during Vince McMahon’s creative regime. At one point, Theory teased a babyface turn when he was in a tag team with Grayson Waller. However, he later joined the top heel faction, ‘The Vision.’
He was also the World Tag Team Champion until losing it recently. Meanwhile, Austin Theory revealed how John Cena wanted him to become a good guy during their feud a few years back.
John Cena wanted the WWE star to become babyface
Speaking with his tag team partner, Logan Paul on Impaulsive, the WWE star, Austin Theory recalled his feud with John Cena heading into WrestleMania 39 in 2023. Theory revealed that Cena didn’t want him to be a bad guy, and Cena also requested Vince McMahon to turn Theory into a good guy onscreen:
I just remember him telling me, ‘You’re not a bad guy. Like I want you to be you.’ I was like, ‘Man, I’m this obnoxious, over-the-top, cocky heel.’ And he’s like, ‘I feel like that’s not going to last too long. You got to be yourself.’”
After the match, I remember Cena telling me he was like, ‘Hey, I went and talked to Vince [McMahon]. And I told him, You’re not a bad guy. So hopefully that helps you become a good guy,’” Theory disclosed.
John Cena says he does not believe Austin Theory is a heel.
“You’re not a bad guy, just be you”
“It’s not gonna last long you have to be you”
Cena went to Vince and basically asked him to turn Theory face.
(IMPAULSIVE) pic.twitter.com/oI3NYugxgY
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) June 30, 2026
However, WWE didn’t pull the trigger on Austin Theory’s face turn.
In the same interview, Theory also recalled his conversations with John Cena during their feud in 2023:
One of my favorite things was doing the match at [Wrestle]Mania, like I knew the finish and like me biting his ear and stuff. Cause I remember he asked me, ‘Do you know who Evander Holyfield is?’ I was like ‘Yeah’ he’s like, ‘We’ll do something like that tonight.’ I’m like, ‘All right, cool.’”
But the thing that stuck out to me the most was after he told me he said, ‘Just remember every show we do is a live event.’ This is the biggest show we have. We treated it like a live event.”
[H/T f4wonline.com]
Only time will tell what the future holds for Austin Theory.