John Cena’s stunned fans by turning heel in March 2025 which marked his first time as a fully-fledged villain in over two decades. While the turn itself shocked fans, many felt that what followed failed to meet expectations.
Cena’s heel run began with an alliance with The Rock, though the “Final Boss” quickly disappeared from WWE television afterward. Speaking on UnSKripted, Cena’s father, John Cena Sr., reflected on his son’s final year in the ring.
“I think what he’s done is right, it’s good, it’s positive… Turning John Cena heel was a great idea. The shock factor was great.”
While Cena Sr. praised the turn itself, he agreed with fans who felt the follow-up fell flat.
“The storyline [after the turn] was destroyed. That was a very poor move in my opinion because it was a big gamble for everyone involved.”
Cena Sr. placed much of the blame on The Rock’s sudden absence, calling it a crushing blow to one of WWE’s biggest storylines in years.
“To see how it started, and then to see the characters who are involved no longer be present, the heel turn almost became non-essential. That was something I wasn’t really too hyped up on.”
Ultimately, Cena abandoned the heel turn ahead of SummerSlam 2025 and returned to the fan-favorite role that defined much of his career. With only a handful of appearances left before retirement, Cena is set to close out his legendary run as the beloved babyface, despite his father’s belief that the heel turn could have been so much more.