WWE superstar John Cena’s effort to portray a villainous character during his Farewell Tour did not connect well with audiences, as it has been described as a failed experiment. Despite being a 17-time world champion and one of the company’s top babyfaces, Cena switched back to a heroic role on SmackDown before SummerSlam on August 1, acknowledging that his heel turn did not match his true persona.
Although Cena hinted that The Rock influenced his heel turn, many fans and industry insiders felt the change was forced and unnatural for him, leading to a swift return to his fan-favorite image.
Legendary WWE Star Booker T Weighs In on Cena’s Heel Struggles
Booker T, a two-time WWE Hall of Famer who has portrayed both hero and villain in his career, shared his perspective on why Cena’s heel persona fell flat. He attributed the challenge to Cena’s long-standing role as the company’s main heroic character, which made his attempt at playing a bad guy unlikely to convince audiences.
I really think this is all about John Cena not being a heel. John Cena is not a heel. He can’t even play a good heel. He tries to make his face look like he’s bad, and you know it’s not real. You know that is nowhere near … that’s just not him.
—Booker T, WWE Hall of Famer
Some fans expected Cena to extend his villainous character after SummerSlam, possibly outsmarting Cody Rhodes, but instead, his match ended with a dramatic return by Brock Lesnar who defeated Cena with an F-5.
So I thought the babyface turn was John Cena just saying, ‘Hey man, let’s just of course correct and get back on pace. We know Brock Lesnar’s coming back. I’ll be able to do something with that on the way out.
—Booker T, WWE Hall of Famer
Cena’s history as a babyface dates back to around 2003 when he reinvented himself from a cocky rapper character to one of WWE’s most beloved heroes. Booker T emphasized that the heel run was more of an experimental phase rather than a full transition.
I don’t think it was a heel run, you know? I mean, I thought he was messing around. I mean, he was experimenting, you know? I mean, he was trying something, but everybody’s just not meant to be a heel. That’s just the way it is.
—Booker T, WWE Hall of Famer
As Cena prepares to retire from active wrestling in December 2025, his return to a heroic character has revitalized interest in his Farewell Tour and opened opportunities for fresh rivalries.
Triple H Acknowledges Cena’s Effort to Push His Limits Before Retirement
Triple H, WWE’s chief content officer, praised John Cena for tackling a new challenge late in his career when he turned heel earlier this year at Elimination Chamber. He recognized that Cena faced a difficult choice as his in-ring career wound down, deciding to confront something different rather than relying solely on nostalgia.
When you get to a place in your career, when you know you have months left on the thing that launched you to the rest of the world, it puts you in a different perspective.
—Triple H, WWE Chief Content Officer
It puts you in a place of, it’s now or never, and you can ride that out, and you can rest on the things that you have done, and you couldn’t really blame John for doing that, for just saying, ‘I’m gonna come in and I’m gonna ride the nostalgia wave for the next ten months. Or somebody like him can double down and say, screw it, I want to be challenged right to the last moment.
—Triple H, WWE Chief Content Officer
During his heel run, Cena reengaged with previous rivals but with reversed roles. He defeated Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, overcame Randy Orton at Backlash with help from R-Truth, and triumphed over CM Punk at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia.
The initial shock of Cena’s heel turn was one of WWE’s most surprising moments in recent history, but his return to being a fan favorite before retiring allows fans to see him conclude his legendary career facing younger competitors.
Notably, he is scheduled to wrestle Logan Paul at Clash in Paris on August 31, symbolizing a passing of the torch to the next generation of WWE stars.
