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Earlier this year, when John Cena turned heel at Elimination Chamber, many thought it would be one of the most amazing moments in WWE history. Fans had been asking for this heel turn for decades, but now that it's here, it feels flat.
It looks like The Cenation Leader's villain move is slowly chipping away at the legacy he spent years building. From weak storytelling to underwhelming promos, John Cena's current run is missing the magic it should have had.
Fans are disappointed with Cena's heel turn
When John Cena finally turned heel, fans expected a big change in his character, with new music, a new look, and a fresh attitude. But instead, it was the same old Cena with a slightly bitter twist.
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The veteran still wears the same gear, still carries the same image, and the storytelling behind his turn doesn't feel earned.
Fans who once dreamed of this moment now feel betrayed. Instead of an organic and well-built transformation, Cena's heel turn seems like late fan service- something thrown in just to say it happened.
There's no deep character change, no strong reason explained on-screen. It feels rushed and disconnected, making it hard for fans to stay invested.
John Cena's promos are weak and repetitive
One of the biggest problems with Cena's heel run is his promos. The 17-time World Champion has always been a great talker, but lately, his promos have been just okay at best. He keeps repeating the same points- saying he's going to ruin wrestling, mocking fans, and bringing up how a viral moment justifies his actions.
On the March 24 edition of RAW in Glasgow, Scotland, John Cena once again opened the show, got booed, and delivered a promo that was basically a recap of the previous week.
But overall, it felt stretched out, repetitive, and lacked real impact. Even wrestling veteran Eric Bischoff pointed out that The Cenation Leader's first heel promo was exciting only because it happened, not because it was strong or memorable. The message was weak, and there was no dramatic change. Plus, as per Bischoff, Cena looks the same, making it harder to believe the 'new character.'
Even on this past Friday's episode of SmackDown, his promos were good but dragged on too long. Some parts even felt unnecessary and repetitive. With all the time he has left, John Cena could be doing so much more to make his run special - challenging other champions, stirring more chaos - but it's just not happening.
The storyline feels boring and predictable
Another major issue the fans feel is that the storyline itself is lazy and predictable. John Cena returned, got cheered at the Royal Rumble, won the Men's Elimination Chamber match cleanly, and then randomly turned heel by kicking Cody Rhodes below the belt. The reason? Apparently, he's still upset that fans were mean to him throughout his career. That's it. The Rock's involvement could have given the heel turn a genuine reason, but The Final Boss is rarely mentioned or featured on WWE TV since Elimination Chamber.
There is no deep story behind it, no real emotion. Cody Rhodes, the victim of Cena's attack, didn't even seem that angry. It all feels thrown together without much thought. Many believed the heel turn would have been amazing if it had happened at WrestleMania, which is hard to argue with.
Things got even more predictable when Randy Orton entered the picture. On the April 21 edition of RAW after WrestleMania, The Viper sneak-attacked John Cena with an RKO.
Then, on SmackDown, Orton tried to reason with Cena, reminding him how much he inspired people and kids around the world. But The Champ refused to listen, called out for an official match, and attacked The Legend Killer, only to face another RKO at the end.
While it's cool to see John Cena vs. Randy Orton again at WWE Backlash next month, it's clear that the excitement stems from nostalgia, rather than the story being particularly good.
WWE could have given someone else the spotlight instead of falling back on an old rivalry. The Cenation Leader could have used his remaining time to elevate newer stars and create fresh stories, but instead, many are stuck watching a storyline that feels like a rerun. It's not bad, but it seems neither new nor exciting. Maybe the company can add surprising twists in between- only time will tell.
