John Cena shocked the world with his heel turn at Elimination Chamber: Toronto, but this was not WWE’s original plan. Instead, WWE had planned to recreate an iconic, infamous moment from 2001 when ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin aligned with Mr. McMahon
According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE initially planned for Cena to win the men’s Elimination Chamber match as a babyface. Instead of in Toronto, Cena’s heel turn would’ve come at WrestleMania 41, reminiscent of Austin shockingly aligning with McMahon, his sworn on-screen nemesis, at WrestleMania X-Seven.
Why WWE Pulled the Trigger Early
Plans reportedly changed on the day of Elimination Chamber, leading to Cena’s turn happening earlier than expected. The initial script called for Rhodes to reject The Rock’s request for his ‘soul’ without Cena’s involvement in the segment.
Dave Meltzer reported that WWE insiders were told the shift was a “late change,” though it’s possible the company had always planned to keep the details under wraps. WWE worked hard to keep Cena’s heel turn a secret, including Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque overseeing the production of the segment on his own.
As Cena’s turn did not come at WrestleMania like Austin’s, his decision to align with the Rock has added an intriguing new layer on the road to WWE’s annual Supershow. With speculation growing of Austin having a role to play in this angle, all eyes turn to Las Vegas and an epic battle between the American Nightmare and WWE’s GOAT.
