John Cena Explains Why WWE Heel Turn Failed

John Cena’s heel return did not receive a positive reaction from fans.

After a two-decade-long run as a babyface, Cena officially turned heel on March 1, 2025, during his Last Time Is Now farewell tour.

The turn took place at the Elimination Chamber, where he “sold his soul” to The Rock and attacked Cody Rhodes after winning the No. 1 contender’s match for WrestleMania 41.

After aligning himself with The Rock, John Cena delivered a low blow and attacked him using a Rolex watch and a weight belt. However, Cena’s heel turn did not generate the reaction WWE had hoped for.

John Cena Says The Fans Couldn’t Accept Him As A Heel

Speaking in a recent interview with O’Shea Jackson Jr. and TJ Jefferson on No Contest Wrestling, John Cena stated that while the heel turn was a good idea creatively, the fans did not embrace it.

Cena explained that the turn failed largely because fans had spent years viewing him as a heroic babyface and struggled to accept him as a villain.

[It was] a good idea. Yeah. The audience sentiment was like, “One, I don’t buy it because like he’s kind of a good guy. And two, I don’t want to see it.” [It flamed out pretty quick] and pretty quick is good because everybody, everybody watching was like this is what’s happening in real time, and I could have been I could have been stubborn.

Yeah. And said, “No, we’re going through it’ll pay off in the end.” No, I’m not the smartest guy in the room. I listen to the people around me. Okay. Let’s change right now. Let’s change today. (From 1:13:19)

Eventually, John Cena transitioned back into a babyface ahead of his SummerSlam match with Cody Rhodes.

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