John Cena’s surprising WWE heel turn before WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas stunned fans, with many questioning what this means for his future. Now, Gunther, the World Heavyweight Champion, has shared that he would prefer to face Cena in the ring as a babyface, directly addressing the ongoing discussion around the John Cena WWE heel turn and what lies ahead.
Gunther Hopes for a Match Against a Classic Babyface John Cena
For over twenty years, Cena built his reputation as the reliable babyface of WWE, championing positivity and standing as The Leader of the Cenation. This long run came to an end as he allied himself with The Rock in an unexpected move that has shifted the dynamics leading up to WrestleMania 41. Questions have surrounded Cena’s next steps, but Gunther—speaking candidly on The Wrestling Ringer’s The Masked Man Show—provided his own perspective.
“Yeah. That opportunity would be great. I think he’s very busy with what he’s doing now. Maybe towards the end of the year, if he finds his old self or something, if that’s going to happen this year. I don’t know. I feel it would be a very exciting matchup . One of the purest babyfaces there are. I would love the scearios of me being me and a struggling pure babyface John Cena,” Gunther said. (From 1:17:06 to 1:17:40) —Gunther, World Heavyweight Champion
Gunther has made it clear he sees value in testing himself against Cena’s classic persona, noting that the match would have greater stakes and excitement if Cena returned to his role as a babyface before retiring.
Can Sami Zayn Surpass John Cena? Insights from Matthew Rehwoldt
Gunther’s own path in WWE has been remarkable, with only three losses to his name on the main roster. One of those was at WrestleMania XL, where he lost the Intercontinental Championship to Sami Zayn. This decisive moment has led former WWE star Matthew Rehwoldt, previously known as Aiden English, to speculate about Zayn’s place in the evolving storyline.
“I could see a thing where you could have a little bit of a WrestleMania 30 Daniel Bryan kind of story with Sami Zayn, but he stumbles along his way… And knowing John Cena, the whole heel run is very unconventional, and he wanted to try something different. And John Cena is very giving with big moments, and I know he wants to lift other people up,” English said. —Matthew Rehwoldt, ex-WWE star
Rehwoldt’s comments echo the sentiment that Cena’s shift to a heel role is a bold deviation from his established character, with the possibility that someone like Sami Zayn could benefit. References to Daniel Bryan’s underdog rise at WrestleMania 30 suggest Zayn might follow a similar underdog arc, potentially becoming the one to topple Cena instead of a more expected contender like Cody Rhodes.
The Uncertain Road Ahead for Cena’s Final WWE Journey
As John Cena moves through his last chapter in WWE, his heel persona has created new opportunities and potential matchups that intrigue both his peers and fans. Gunther’s desire for a true babyface-versus-villain bout, along with suggestions that Sami Zayn could play a major role in Cena’s farewell run, raise the stakes for upcoming events. The industry now turns its attention to what choices Cena, WWE leadership, and his rivals will make as this storied wrestler closes out an era.
Fans and insiders alike are watching closely, eager to see whether Cena will eventually embrace his roots and deliver one last performance as one of WWE’s iconic babyfaces or if his recent heel turn represents a permanent change in wrestling history.
