JM: Chappell Roan, Millie Bobby Brown and… John Cena?

Chappell Roan, Millie Bobby Brown and… John Cena?

Was it merely justification for a shocking heel turn, or the latest case of wrestling reflecting back what’s happening in wider society? Either way, John Cena’s rejection of his “toxic” fans echoes the ongoing movement of celebrities asserting themselves as… well, as not babyfaces, not heels, but human beings.

I’m a firm believer in Foley’s Law of Heels: a great bad guy must always feel like his actions are justified. Particularly given the current political climate, I personally found Cena’s motivation to be eminently believable. In years gone by celebrities were beholden to the media and their fans to stay relevant, and many careers were extended by cow-towing to those two groups in particular. Now? The landscape has changed dramatically.

Let’s not forget that John Cena debuted in a time before Facebook and social media had taken over our lives. In kayfabe terms, the only thing way he could validate himself was in the reaction of the crowd. Anyone with even a tiny history of performance will know the approval of an audience is an incredible drug, and it makes perfect sense that John would chase that again and again. And for 20+ years, that’s exactly what he’s done.

“But Jack,” I hear you say, “for the last few years he’s received almost universally positive reactions. Why does this heel turn make sense in 2025?”

Pictured: card-carrying IWC member.

Well dear reader, let me first thank you for submitting such a perfectly timed question. It’s almost as if I wrote it for you. Now allow me to explain:

First off, go and read any interview conducted by a celebrity where they talk about reviews. It is a universally acknowledged truth that you can read 99 positive reviews and completely fixate on the only one that was negative. John Cena (who we’ve established is a human being) would be exactly the same; it doesn’t matter if the reactions have changed over the last few years. Those appearances have been sporadic enough that they wouldn’t undo the kayfabe trauma of 20 years being booed for being good.

Secondly, look at what’s happening with celebrity culture now. Public figures are becoming more and more assertive of their own rights, buoyed by owning their own profiles across multiple platforms. Gone are the days where an executive could kill a career with a phone call or an editor could run a smear campaign without fear of rebuttal. With more and more celebrities leading by example, doesn’t it make sense that Cena would start to wonder about his own place in the world? Wouldn’t he start thinking about his own well-established propensity for people-pleasing?

I don’t know about you, but as a story I find it infinitely believable that Cena’s resentment has grown throughout the years. Putting on a smile night after night in order to stay on top, to stay relevant, to keep the millions of dollars rolling into his bank account. Realistically, most people put on a mask to get through their 9-5 day jobs, why should John Cena be any different?

Is it a perfect story? No, of course not. There is absolutely no way in hell I think that John Cena the man has actually held onto this resentment. But as a character? Absolutely yes, I could see that being true. And frankly we’ve seen hundreds of less believable heel turns over the years, so I’m all for it.

Yeah I’m talking about you, big guy.

Which brings me neatly to my second point of this piece: call me delusional if you like, but I firmly believe this has been a long-term plan. What we’ve seen over the last few weeks is irrefutable evidence that no wrestling “journalist” has a clue what’s happening in WWE creative. Triple H has tightened security and nothing is getting out that isn’t pre-agreed. For the record, I am not a wrestling journalist. You will find no breaking news or exclusives here, just opinions and nonsense.

So, when it’s reported that The Rock has returned and “derailed” Wrestlemania plans, take it with a pinch of salt. It might be true, but for me there are too many pieces here that don’t make sense. I find it much more believable that we’re in an era of incredibly long-term storylines, with intricately woven plot-lines that will cross over in ways none of us predict. More importantly, in ways that might not make sense straight away.

The obvious rebuttal here is that I’m displaying blind faith in Triple H and his creative team, but that’s not wholly true. Naturally, there is an element of faith in the creative team, otherwise logically I wouldn’t bother tuning in every week. But I think it’s more valid to look at WWE like a business. WWE’s current renaissance started with The Bloodline, a beautifully told long-form story that gained traction and viewers the longer it went on. Characters came and went, plotlines rose and fell, but the story kept moving and audiences kept reacting positively.

This was the first time in literally years that WWE had displayed an upward curve in terms of viewership and engagement. So, with that in mind, wouldn’t you seek to repeat that behaviour? Of course you would. Any business in the world would. Imagine if KFC brought out the Zinger Burger, and even though it sold brilliantly they scrapped it completely to focus on chicken? That doesn’t make business sense.

It’s super-kickin’ good!

No, what makes business sense is to continue weaving long-term stories together, always culminating at Wrestlemania time. Sure, it leads to some fallow months during the late spring and summer, but it’s impossible to maintain that level of excitement all year long. Wrestling simply has to have peaks and troughs, and I’d much rather they were predictable and planned than as a result of bad storytelling.

I believe John Cena’s turn has been months in the making and that they’ve mapped out his last year already. Do I have any insider knowledge to back up my claims? No, but when it comes to WWE neither does Dave Meltzer, and at least I’m not pretending to have a clue in order to sell you my thoughts. My opinion is based on what I’ve seen over the last few years of WWE, my limited knowledge of business and market trends, and the possibility that John Cena, The Rock, and Triple H might know a thing or two about creating a captivating wrestling story.

Finally (and I appreciate this is a bit of a bolt from the blue), I would like to lament Vince McMahon’s mishandling of Jon Moxley as Dean Ambrose. Can you even begin to imagine the twists and turns this story could take if there was a realistic possibility of a Shield reunion? I don’t blame Mox for jumping ship under the circumstances and he seems like a man who will show loyalty to Tony Khan for the foreseeable future… but goddamn do I wish he could play a part in the Roman Reigns era.

Pictured: John Cena & The Shield