Netflix recently unveiled a new preview for its upcoming WWE original series, WWE: Unreal, which is set to premiere on July 29. The series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creative decisions and planning involved in WWE’s production, including the highly unexpected John Cena WWE heel turn that took place at the Elimination Chamber event in February.
Paul Levesque Details Strategic Planning Behind John Cena’s Heel Turn
Paul Levesque, WWE’s Chief Content Officer—better known as Triple H—shared exclusive insights into the tightly controlled process behind John Cena’s controversial character shift. According to Levesque, the circle privy to this development was intentionally limited, including WWE President Nick Khan, The Rock, Cody Rhodes, Travis Scott, and Cena himself.
So my first call is to Nick, who’s also a board member along with Rock, I run the idea by him. Nick basically says, ‘Love all of it.’ So my next reach-out to that point is to Rock. I hit him with ‘What if…’ ‘What if… Hear me out on this,’ and he just listened, and every now and then through the conversation, he would go, ‘Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.’ I wasn’t sure if he was giving me the ‘Mm-hmm, get to the end so I can tell you how much I hate this,” or… Right? And I got to the end, and he was like, ‘Wow.’ ‘Man, I gotta tell you, I think that’s genius. Like, let’s…’ You know… And he immediately started riffing thoughts and ideas, right? So we spent probably, like, another 30 minutes on the phone talking about this, and the more we talked about it, the more we were both getting excited about it…
—Paul Levesque, WWE Chief Content Officer
Levesque explained that after gaining support from Nick Khan and The Rock, he presented the plan to Travis Scott and Cody Rhodes, both of whom quickly bought into the concept. The next crucial step was convincing John Cena to embrace the heel persona—an idea that would not only affect Cena’s WWE role but also his broader career.
Triple H Appeals to John Cena’s Authentic Self to Confirm His Commitment
Understanding the magnitude of such a shift, Levesque approached Cena with honesty and respect, seeking his genuine reaction beyond the performer’s persona. This direct conversation ensured Cena fully appreciated how the heel turn would impact him personally and professionally.
John’s the best. He’s like, ‘Well, before you say it, just know if this is what you believe in, I’m in.’ I said, ‘John, okay. Let’s take the bulls*** hat off.’ ‘Now, this is not… the head of creative talking to you and, you know, you the performer.’ I said, ‘I am asking John Cena the human being. Paul Levesque is talking to you. Give me your gut.’ This impacts John Cena the real-life human being, and it impacts his movies, and it impacts his PR schedule and impacts everything. We’re honest. I said, ‘Give me your gut. You like it or you don’t.’ And he was like, ‘I like it a lot, actually.’ And when I hung up the phone with him, within a minute, minute and a half, I’ve gotten, like, three different texts from him of thoughts, ideas, and so I’m like, ‘Right, he’s… he’s engaged.’ So once we get to that point now, it’s a coordinated effort. Everybody is getting together. Rock’s reaching out to Cody. Nick reaching out to Rock. Cody’s reaching out to Cena. Cena’s reaching out to everybody. So one of the things that we all talked about on the phone was, ‘Let’s keep this tight.’ Nobody gets this information that isn’t on this phone call.
—Paul Levesque, WWE Chief Content Officer
The approach highlights how carefully WWE manages its storylines to maintain suspense and control narrative leaks while ensuring key players are aligned. Once Cena agreed, communication among the involved parties intensified, with calls and texts exchanged rapidly to prepare for the angle’s rollout.
Insight into WWE’s Content Strategy and Coordination Efforts
The sneak peek further reveals WWE’s deliberate approach in handling major plot turns involving top-tier talent. Levesque’s account emphasizes the collective collaboration among executives and performers to maintain secrecy and tighten coordination before unveiling shocking developments. This approach is especially important when altering the persona of universally recognized wrestlers like Cena, whose public image extends beyond the wrestling circle.
The decision to keep the group small was tactical, limiting the chance of leaks and building an authentic internal excitement about the heel turn storyline. By involving influential figures such as The Rock and Travis Scott early in the process, WWE ensured a strong creative momentum behind one of its most defining moments this year.
Contextualizing the Heel Turn: What It Means for John Cena’s WWE Legacy
John Cena’s change to a villainous role marked one of the most surprising shifts in WWE recently, creating a major buzz during the February Elimination Chamber event. This heel turn appears to be part of a larger narrative in what is described as Cena’s retirement tour, further evolving his character and legacy within professional wrestling.
The heel turn not only serves as entertainment for WWE fans but also affects Cena’s career trajectory, affecting his movie appearances, public relations engagements, and broader brand image. The move challenges longstanding perceptions of Cena as the heroic face of WWE and introduces a new, complex dimension to his wrestling persona.
As Netflix’s WWE: Unreal sheds light on the creative thought process behind such a high-profile storyline, audiences are likely to gain deeper understanding of the artistic and strategic complexities involved in professional wrestling’s storytelling.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is John Cena diagnosed with?
A. Famous wrestler John Cena has been diagnosed with skin cancer. Doctors discovered melanoma on his left chest and back, a year between each finding. Cena revealed to USA Today that this diagnosis altered his perspective on life. He encourages men to pay more attention to skin-care.
Q. Has John Cena ever had surgery?
A. John Cena recently talked about why he chose to get hair transplant surgery to cover his bald spot. In a recent interview, the WWE star criticized wrestling critics, saying they “bullied” him into making that choice.
Q. What illness does John Cena have?
A. John Cena, who is known for his career in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), shared that he has been diagnosed with skin cancer on two occasions.
