John Cena’s much-anticipated heel turn earlier this year has been widely criticized as a squandered chance to elevate his career. The John Cena heel turn began dramatically at Elimination Chamber 2025, when he allied with The Rock to betray Cody Rhodes, eventually capturing his 17th World Title at WrestleMania 41 with unexpected help from Travis Scott.
The Rise and Rapid Decline of Cena’s Heel Persona
Despite the explosive setup, Cena’s heel run quickly lost momentum, marked by uninspired feuds and a lack of defining moments. Without major rivalries or standout matches during this stretch, the character failed to resonate. The situation worsened when The Rock missed WrestleMania 41 and Travis Scott’s involvement unraveled. These setbacks forced Cena to abandon his villainous role and revert back to his traditional babyface character ahead of SummerSlam 2025.
The resulting confusion left fans and critics alike disappointed, as this phase did not fully exploit Cena’s potential to reinvent himself and refresh his career trajectory. What began as a promising shift instead felt like a missed opportunity to create compelling narratives or rivalry dynamics that wrestling audiences crave.
Drew McIntyre Reflects on Cena’s Heel Phase and His Own Ambitions
In an exclusive interview with Peter Rosenberg ahead of WrestlePalooza, Drew McIntyre openly addressed his views on John Cena’s heel run and expressed a strong desire to face Cena in a singles match before the veteran retires. McIntyre’s remarks carry a tone of frustration and urgency, underscoring his belief that Cena’s true capabilities have not been fully showcased during this period.
“Yeah. Call it selfish all you want. I just know and I talked so much trash during the time because I know what he’s capable of, and it’s so much more and we’re seeing it right now. I don’t think it’s deliberate. I know it wasn’t deliberate… For Cena, a Cena two, three is a lot of people’s nine, 10. But, I just know how good he is, what he’s capable of and I ran my mouth, I talked trash because it was just quite frankly pissing me off watching it because I know how good he is.” – Drew McIntyre
McIntyre went further, emphasizing his yearning to push Cena and prove himself as a top-tier competitor in their encounters, drawing parallels to his past confrontations with other wrestling icons.
“Now we’re seeing how good he is but what’s pissing me off now is it’s at the finish line and I might not get that opportunity so I need that title. I need to dangle that carrot or something in front of him that’s gonna make him pay attention and go, alright, maybe I go over here, and I’ll show Drew what’s up.” – Drew McIntyre
“I’ll tear him to shreds and I want him to because I want to be able to prove to the world I can stand on my own two feet with everybody just like I did with (CM) Punk, when he was gonna tear me to shreds on the mic, and absolutely eviscerated him to the point he was begging for his other tricep to get torn so he could get more time off so I would stop shredding him on the microphone.” – Drew McIntyre
Throughout 2025, Cena and McIntyre have crossed paths in tag and multi-man matches but have yet to engage in a one-on-one bout, leaving fans eager for a potential showdown. Meanwhile, McIntyre is scheduled to take on Cody Rhodes at WrestlePalooza, while Cena prepares for his own high-profile challenge against Brock Lesnar.
Brock Lesnar Issues Final Threat Before WrestlePalooza
As part of the ongoing tension surrounding John Cena’s wrestling future, Brock Lesnar delivered a chilling warning on the September 19th episode of SmackDown, aimed directly at Cena. This confrontation adds fuel to their rivalry, which escalates ahead of their highly anticipated match at WrestlePalooza.
“He’s on some retirement escapade, this staged retirement party. And I’m about to f*ck that up.” – Brock Lesnar
In addition to his warning, Lesnar has hinted at a possible reunion with his former advocate, Paul Heyman, further intensifying the stakes surrounding his latest feud with Cena.
Why Cena’s Heel Turn Fell Short and What Lies Ahead
John Cena’s heel turn initially promised a fresh chapter in his storied career, potentially reshaping his legacy with memorable rivalries and impactful matches. Instead, it suffered from a lack of follow-through and key partnerships, such as absent appearances by The Rock and Travis Scott’s departure from the storyline, which diluted its impact. Cena’s early heel run lacked the compelling drama and character development that wrestling fans eagerly anticipate from such a pivotal shift.
The tension expressed by Drew McIntyre signals the desire among peers to challenge Cena at his best, suggesting that Cena’s top form has yet to be fully displayed in this phase of his career. Lesnar’s looming confrontation further places Cena’s legacy and next moves under scrutiny as his heel turn narrative comes to a crossroads.
Looking forward, the unfolding rivalries at WrestlePalooza and SummerSlam will be crucial in determining whether Cena can capitalize on this chapter of his career or if the heel run will remain remembered as an unfulfilled experiment. The matches against McIntyre, Rhodes, and Lesnar will be defining moments that not only test Cena’s skill but also the staying power of this controversial character shift in professional wrestling.
