What’s the story?
John Cena has been a face since a very long time. This has been the case mostly due to Cena’s overwhelming popularity and extraordinary merchandise sales. Cena is termed as “the face of the WWE” and rightly so, but that might have not been the case had he turned heel at some point.
According to an interview with PWTorch, ex-WWE writer Kevin Eck revealed that creative had planned a Cena heel turn in 2012 but Vince McMahon had called it off.
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John Cena has been the face of the company since quite a long time now. He is a record 16-time World Champion and has accomplished almost everything that a WWE Superstar can.
However, in 2010, a few sections of the fans became very vocal about Cena’s overused character and often started a “Cena sucks” chant during his matches.
The hardcore wrestling fans lambasted his gimmick and criticised his repetitive move set. They demanded an immediate heel turn as they felt that a babyface Cena was being shoved down their throats.
In spite of all the reactions, WWE stuck to the “Superman” gimmick for Cena. The company earned a number of deals using Cena’s popularity and took various steps to maintain the sellability of their most valuable commodity.
The heart of the matter
Ex-WWE writer Kevin Eck discussed how the creative almost got approval from Vince McMahon to turn Cena heel in 2012. He was quoted as saying the following:
“We were very close. We had Vince sign off on it at one point and Cena was on board to do it.
We started making plans for it and then Vince got cold feet “. He further added, “we had signed an exclusive Cena merchandise deal with Walmart”.
Eck stated that the main reason for Cena not turning heel was because Vince McMahon felt that they didn’t have anyone to replace Cena. Punk was over with the fans back then but according to Eck, McMahon felt that he wasn’t the right replacement.
Also read: WWE News: Stephanie McMahon wanted to book John Cena as a heel in the past
Randy Orton was another big Superstar but due to his hatred for fans, he wasn’t considered as well.
Sheamus was rising at that time and Eck said that there were serious efforts put in to make Sheamus the next top babyface at one point but the booking decisions taken by Vince McMahon did little to help the cause.
What’s next?
John Cena is set to face The Miz and Maryse at WrestleMania 33 with his girlfriend Nikki Bella in a mixed gender match. There are reports suggesting that Cena will take a hiatus after ‘Mania to fulfil his other commitments.
Author’s Take
Cena has transitioned into a part-timer and takes up various projects outside WWE.
With such a schedule, it is difficult for him to lead the company as the top face. He has found his place successfully in the entertainment industry and could be on the verge of making a successful career transition similar to the Rock.
In 2012, McMahon believed that there was no direct replacement for the Cenation leader but it is not the case now. New promising talents such as Reigns, Rollins and Balor have emerged who show potential to be the torchbearers of the WWE for many coming years.
I have a feeling that a John Cena heel turn will still happen sooner than later.
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