Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena is currently portraying a heel persona during his 2025 retirement tour, recently credited Stephanie McMahon as a key influence on his portrayal of a heel.
Cena, who shocked WWE fans by turning heel at Elimination Chamber earlier this year and aligning with The Rock, has historically been WWE’s ultimate babyface for two decades. Speaking to Stephanie McMahon on her ESPN+ show, Stephanie’s Places, Cena acknowledged learning from her performances.
“Can I just say I had some really good people to learn from. You are on a very short list of names that falls into [that category],” Cena stated. He then directly admitted, “I flat out steal a lot from you. So, thanks for helping me through this.”
He is next scheduled to team with United States Champion Logan Paul against Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes at the Money in the Bank premium live event on June 7th in Los Angeles, California.
H/T to Fightful