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After over two decades of playing a babyface character in WWE, John Cena turned heel at Elimination Chamber earlier this month. Wrestling veteran Stevie Richards recently made a bold prediction about the future of The Franchise Player's character.
After winning the Men's Elimination Chamber Match, the 47-year-old legend is set to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41 next month. At the PLE, The Leader of Cenation dropped his babyface character to attack The American Nightmare and aligned himself with The Rock. Last Monday on RAW, Cena cut his first heel promo, telling the WWE Universe he was breaking up with them after years of being in a toxic relationship with them. He accused fans of being awful and abusive toward him for 25 years.
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While addressing Cena's promo on The Stevie Richards Show, the former Hardcore Champion was asked whether the 47-year-old's recent character change would affect his popularity if he were to turn babyface again before the end of his farewell run. The 53-year-old claimed the 16-time World Champion would become a "babyface out of circumstance," stating that The Franchise Player would be more popular than ever towards the end of his final in-ring stint.
"This here is gonna put an edge on Cena. He's gonna be a heel but he's gonna become a babyface out of circumstance but more of edge to him. And I think he's gonna be more popular than ever towards the end," he said. [6:27 - 6:44]
Brock Lesnar changed major Royal Rumble plans? More details HERE.
WWE Hall of Famer thinks John Cena will turn babyface again
John Cena is set to retire from in-ring competition by the end of this year. Speaking on the Busted Open podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray claimed the 47-year-old would not hang up his boots as a heel.
The wrestling legend predicted that the 16-time World Champion would eventually revert to being a babyface towards the end of his run.
"I don't think John Cena is going to remain a heel throughout his retirement tour. Let's just go by this final 10 months. I don't believe Cena runs it out as a heel. As a matter of fact, I'll take a guess here, and listen, I was not right about the Cena heel turn at all. I'm the one who said, 'Nah, don't think it's gonna happen.' I think Cena is the heel up until WrestleMania," he said.
It will be interesting to see what John Cena has in store for the WWE Universe on his Farewell Tour.
Please credit The Stevie Richards Show and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription, if you use the quote from the first part of this article.
