John Cena didn’t just turn heel, he passed the torch – By Wrestle G
Hello one and all and I hope you have somehow recovered from this past weekends wrestling. I usually do a short paragraph here about what’s been going on with me and then we dip into some Wrestling Tapas looking at smaller stories from across this week. But I’m still so pumped and have so many theories and ideas about the Cena Heel turn this past weekend, we are just going to jump straight into it. So, Let’s go:
Why John why?
John Cena standing victorious in the ring after an Elimination Chamber match was a wholesome moment. Since he announced his retirement tour there have been a sizeable number of fans willing Cena to win his 17th championship and break Ric Flairs world title record. He was dangerously close to punching his ticket at the Rumble when Jey Uso eliminated him. But on Saturday night he had finally achieved his goal and got his spot in the main event of WrestleMania.
So, it didn’t shock me that Cody Rhodes made an immediate entrance to the ring to stand face to face with his opponent. Cena has made a career on being straight up with his opponents and Cody has been following in a similar mould. These two titans showing respect felt absolutely on brand for both.
Of course, the Rock, and for some reason Travis Scott, turned up to get Cody Rhodes answer on if he was going to succumb to being The Rock’s Corporate champion. It’s going to be a sad footnote to this Cena Heel turn that Cody flat out told the Rock to ‘Go Fuck himself’ because the delivery of the line and the pop it garnered was a moment all by itself.
As the line was delivered, we saw an elated John Cena in the background, the big cheerleader for Cody Rhodes to tell the big bad corporate Final Boss where to stick his offer. This was the Cena that has been consistent for over 2 decades, a man who stands up for what’s right, a man who has preached Hustle Loyalty and Respect. A man with ideals. Indeed, even as the hug happened there was a part of me that thought that the Rock and Cody had suckered in Cena to turn on him by appealing to his morals.
Of course that didn’t happen……
With a wry smile and a Mafia Style signal the whole of WWE was turned upside down. Cenas kick to Cody’s nuts was a kick in the nuts to all of his WWE fans as a whole. A Fantastic symbolic gesture of the turn that Cena had just pulled the trigger on. My Jaw hit the floor, I let out an audible gasp and a little chuckle and I stood on my feet with my hands on my head trying to take in this awesome moment.
The Storyline rationale
I’ll be honest I’ve been thinking about the turn for most of the last few days and I’ve landed on what I believe would be my perfect storyline reasoning for John’s decision to turn. What The Rock was offering Cody is exactly the life and career that Cena currently has. This isn’t Cena upset that Cody dint take a short cut, this wouldn’t be consistent with Cenas previous character motivations. But when Cody Told the Rock to go fuck himself, what he told the world was that he didn’t want to be like the Rock and by proxy he was always saying that Cenas way is also wrong.
John Cena has the movie roles, he has the part time schedule, he has the power to waltz back into WWE and enter himself into Royal Rumbles and Elimination chambers. He has hosting gigs and red carpets. He is as much the Rock as anyone. So When Cody rejected the Rocks way, he also rejected Cenas way.
I want Cena to really home in on how ungrateful Cody was in rejecting that offer. How misguided he is in framing Cena and The Rock in this way. He cannot admit to his fans who have supported him from decades that doing it the way he is doing wrestling now is wrong. So, Cody has to be shown why he is wrong to take the path of righteousness. And now on the road to WrestleMania we have the two biggest cross over stars paving their way in Hollywood up against Pro Wrestling, WWE’s and most of all the fans biggest advocate Cody Rhodes. I cannot wait to see the build for this one over the next few weeks.
But it struck me that outside of the storyline reasons for this turn, there’s a potentially bigger endorsement here outside of the ring…..
Cody is the Heir to the throne he once smashed
John Cena turning Heel is something a couple of generations of wrestling fans have debated. A couple of the biggest reasons for not doing the turn were the Merchandise numbers that Cena produced, his profile with charities and organisations such as Make A wish and the lack of a babyface strong enough to actually pick up the ball and run with it the same way Cena had been doing.
So, to choose now to turn heel, to choose this angle and this feud this is the WWE and John Cena telling the world that Cody Rhodes is THE guy in the company. Roman has been an absolute pillar for the last 3 years but due to his health and his family as a priority he hasn’t been able to be pulling the big schedule with all of the signings and promotional appearances.
But Cody has done it all and he’s done it while maintaining big reactions from the crowd and while pulling in a load of merchandise. John Cenas mantra of ‘The Time is Now’ is never more appropriate than it is right now. The time is now for this heel turn to happen because the WWE finally has the mainstream babyface that they haven’t been able to build for the last 20 years.
The Throne that Cody Smashed to launch AEW was symbolic of Cody wanting to be the top guy in the industry. The Kick between the legs he suffered on Saturday may as well have been Cena putting the crown on his head. Cena felt confident enough that someone had surpassed his popularity and for my money they have definitely chosen the right guy.
Ok folks that its for today but I’d love to know in the comments below if you think I’m on the money or you have your own theories?
You can also join the conversation over on my X account @Wrestle_G I’ve started a new weekly video series over there and hoping to do some more stuff so it’s a good time to drop that follow for me.
But for now, and Until Next time,
Cheers,
G