Bret Hart recently shared his insights on John Cena’s surprising heel turn in WWE, a move that caught many fans off guard given Cena’s long-standing image as the ultimate babyface. The heel turn occurred at the Elimination Chamber event, where Cena aligned himself with The Rock in an unexpected alliance. Although this change was initially met with interest, the follow-up storyline failed to gain momentum, especially as The Rock did not return to television as anticipated.
By the time SummerSlam approached, John Cena abandoned his heel persona and reverted to his traditional babyface role. During a promo on SmackDown, he admitted to pretending to be someone he was not, highlighting that he had been let down by others involved, implicitly referencing The Rock and Travis Scott. His babyface status was reaffirmed after losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. Despite speculation about a possible heel turn for Rhodes, he remained a protagonist in the storyline.
Bret Hart Acknowledges Cena’s Success as a Heel
In an interview on the Rap on Wrestling Podcast prior to SummerSlam, Bret Hart discussed the potential for a ‘double turn’ during the main event featuring Cena and Rhodes. Hart expressed skepticism about Rhodes’s ability to adopt a heel persona, noting it is a challenging transition. However, Hart conveyed his surprise at how effectively John Cena carried out his heel run, considering Cena’s history as a perennial babyface and role model for younger fans.
“I don’t see Cody turning heel. Not yet. I don’t know if like, I don’t know if Cody could turn heel. Like, I don’t know. It’s a whole different pair of boots to wear when you’re heel.Like, it’s a different thing and I say that with now looking at John Cena, who I used to say for years, that’s the one guy that could never turn heel because he was just too much of a baby face and too much of a hero and too much of a guy that kids looked up to and was a natural baby face, and his style, like his wrestling style.I can remember when I was, when I turned heel years ago, back with Jim Neidhart, the Hart Foundation. I remember doing drop kicks on guys, and I remember guys going, ‘heels don’t do drop kicks, what are you doing?’ and I’m like, because I turned heel I forgot every move that I ever did. Now all I know how to do is cheat now?But with John Cena, his style, I never saw him ever being a bad guy. He just, to me, was a good guy through and through. I kind of used to say the same thing about Hulk Hogan, that he could never be a bad guy, that he was too sort of cemented into being a baby face. But I will say that John Cena has surprised me and has turned out to be a good heel.I guess if you think about it and you know you can do it, I do think there’s a lot that- you can be a great babyface and not be a great heel, and you can be a great heel and not be a great babyface. They’re not naturally… They’re not just givens that you can do either one. You have to understand what’s the best way to do it.”
Hart elaborated on the difficulty of switching from a hero to a villain, recalling his own experience of adjusting his wrestling style after turning heel with the Hart Foundation alongside Jim Neidhart. He highlighted that many moves associated with babyfaces do not translate for heels, who typically adopt more underhanded tactics. This made Cena’s smooth transition into a convincing heel surprising to Hart, who had long believed Cena’s genuine persona made him unsuitable for villainous roles.
Criticism of Cena’s Heel Turn and Fan Reactions
While Bret Hart praised Cena’s heel portrayal, former WWE talent JBL expressed a contrasting view, labeling Cena’s heel run as a failure. JBL argued that the idea worked well in theory but did not resonate in practice, as WWE fans were reluctant to boo Cena, especially given his impending retirement. This perspective underscores the challenge Cena faced in altering his firmly established babyface image after years of being a heroic figure in WWE.
Additional WWE Storylines and Recent Developments
Beyond Cena and Rhodes, WWE storylines continue to evolve with other prominent wrestlers making headlines. Drew McIntyre recently issued a warning to Cody Rhodes following a fierce attack on SmackDown, signaling his intention to challenge for the WWE Title. Roman Reigns nearly suffered a serious injury during a high-risk move at SummerSlam, highlighting the physical dangers wrestlers face in the ring.
The Rock, who played a key role in Cena’s heel run at Elimination Chamber, has remained largely absent from WWE since that appearance, though rumors suggest he may return to headline WWE WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia. CM Punk also commented on WWE’s documentary series, WWE: Unreal, noting that it has helped humanize wrestlers by showing different sides of their personalities. Meanwhile, fans await updates on Karrion Kross’s status with WWE, a topic that has sparked disappointment.
Outside the ring, Rhea Ripley revealed a troubling incident when a stalker came to her house, emphasizing the personal risks wrestlers can face from overzealous fans. Recently, another WWE star confirmed a surprising character change on SmackDown following John Cena’s storyline developments. Additionally, Cena himself reflected on how his early movie roles contributed to his abilities as an entertainer, showing the breadth of his career beyond wrestling.
The Significance of Cena’s Heel Turn and Its Future Impact
John Cena’s heel turn represents a rare and challenging transition for a performer so deeply associated with a heroic image, and Bret Hart’s unexpected praise indicates Cena broke new ground in WWE storytelling. Cena’s ability to successfully adopt a villainous role, even if only briefly, expands the possibilities for his character as he nears the end of his in-ring career. This shift may encourage WWE creative teams to explore more diverse character arcs for other established stars who have long been tied to a specific persona.
As Cena returns to his babyface roots, fans and analysts alike will watch closely to see how this experience influences his future development. Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes’s continued role as a top babyface and the ongoing shifts in WWE storylines promise further intrigue and evolution within the company’s roster dynamics.
