One of the popular narratives among the IWC in the present moment is that John Cena turning heel has been a failed experiment. There are a number of reasons for that, between disappointing match after disappointing match, the novelty wearing off Cena’s heel promos, and the simple principle that a lot of fans want to cheer Cena as he wraps up a historic career.
Indeed, there’s a groundswell of organic, nostalgic support beneath Cena in spite of the bad guy persona, which has left some fans feeling less heat than like the current run is just awkward.
While there’s plenty of room to nitpick, Cena’s heel run is serving more purposes and going much better than a lot of fans might realize.
Lackluster Matches Land Better For Heel John Cena Than They Would For A Babyface
While “you can’t wrestle” have followed John Cena for much of his time as a main eventer, he has proven capable of holding his own in great matches. No, he was never a “work-rate guy,” but he held up his end in all-time classic matches with the likes of Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, AJ Styles, and others.
One thing that has become apparent in 2025 is that Father Time and extended time away from the ring have caught up with Cena. He didn’t quite look like himself in his Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber efforts, and, sure enough, his every singles match performance since that point has proven underwhelming.
While babyface Cena may have been able to play the hits and gotten by on nostalgic good will, there’s little doubt fans would be questioning him reigning as world champion under those circumstances. As a heel, however, there’s a wider berth for lackluster ring work to blend in as part of the character’s heat. Indeed, fans who want to see him drop the title can root against him in full-throated fashion both to see a better champion crowned and to see the villain get his comeuppance.
Bizarro Babyface Challengers Against Heel John Cena Are Fun
When Randy Orton emerged as John Cena’s challenger for Backlash, a lot of the buzz surrounded such long-term, iconic rivals switching face-heel orientations for the first time.
While the original R-Truth vs. Cena feud wasn’t as historic as The Champ’s storylines with Orton, it nonetheless carried similar undertones of super hero Cena vanquishing crazed heel Truth back in 2011. As such, it was also a little surreal to see babyface Truth versus heel Cena on the marquee for a Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Lo and behold, fans are again intrigued with babyface CM Punk lined up as Cena’s next challenger, and it seems entirely possible face versions of AJ Styles and even The Miz could follow. Were Edge still signed to WWE or were it not for Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, one would have to imagine fresh versions of these famous feuds would be on the docket as well.
Sure, there’s a case Cena should be working more young talents or at least first-time opponents on this farewell tour. Nonetheless, when all indications are the matches wouldn’t be great anyway, there’s something to be said for focusing on nostalgia instead and putting a different filter on these feuds fans remember fondly.
Fans Will Appreciate The Return Of Babyface John Cena
It’s an uncomfortable truth that wrestling fans—and particularly wrestling fans in this era of social media and constant content—tend to be a little fickle and to suffer from short attention spans. As much as fans might think they would’ve wanted a straightforward face retirement tour for Cena, might it have started feeling a little stale by now?
There’s no knowing for sure how things would’ve gone had Cena never turned. Nonetheless, in the likely case Cena does ultimately turn back to his do-gooder ways at or leading up to the end of his career, it’s all but guaranteed to draw a huge response as fans welcome back their hero. Perhaps Cena puts Logan Paul in place or shows respect to the babyface who can pull the sword from the stone and ensure Cena is not, in fact, “The Last Real Champion.” Perhaps things come full circle and he winds up standing up to The Rock. Regardless, it’ll be a feel good moment when Cena does switch sides again, and that move will set him up to get a pop each time he resurfaces as a visiting legend in the years to come.