5 Times John Cena should have turned heel
John Cena is arguably the best babyface in WWE history. The sixteen-time world champion was the company's top good guy for over a decade, showing incredible longevity in the role.
Despite initially playing a heel character and committing a few heelish acts as a babyface, The Champ never returned to the dark side apart from a one-off appearance in his former persona at WrestleMania 35.
His longevity as a babyface led to a section of the WWE Universe turning on him, claiming that his character had gone stale. The company persisted with him as a face, mainly due to his incredible work with the Make-A-Wish foundation and other noble causes.
Cena eventually won the doubters over with incredible matches, compelling feuds, and thrilling returns from his growing Hollywood career. However, it is still fascinating to ponder what could have been if the promotion had greenlit The Champ's turn to the dark side, with a few moments in time seeming uniquely opportune.
Here are five times John Cena should have turned heel during his babyface run:
#5: John Cena could have turned heel on the road to No Mercy 2017
Free-agent John Cena appeared on RAW after Summerslam 2017 to challenge Roman Reigns to a match at No Mercy. After defeating Baron Corbin the night before, The Face That Runs The Place was eager to tussle with The Big Dog. The feud was meant to help pass the torch to Reigns as Cena got busier in Hollywood.
The feud was memorable, with the promo battles between the pair standing out and the subsequent match being solid. However, a heel turn from the veteran would have helped the future Tribal Chief's win feel like a much bigger deal.
The face vs. face dynamic did not generate as much animosity as their heel vs. face rivalry en route to Summerslam 2021, which is why the latter ended up being more memorable.
With Cena going into the part-time phase of his career, a heel turn would have helped put his opponent over in a grander fashion.
#4: John Cena could have gone rogue at ECW One Night Stand 2006
In another clash of babyfaces, John Cena met Rob Van Dam for the WWE Championship at ECW One Night Stand 2006. The premium live event was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom, a venue with sentimental value for the extreme promotion's fans. It was clear from the show's first edition a year prior that the crowd would be pro-ECW and anti-WWE.
Hence, it was the perfect opportunity to turn The Champ heel to help the crowd favorite shine even more. To Cena's credit, his performance was laced with a heelish edge and aggressive tendencies, which played to the hostile atmosphere and ultimately helped RVD's win feel momentous.
However, a villainous turn in an extremely hostile environment against a beloved babyface who represented a different company would have been completely understandable.
#3: John Cena could have tapped into his dark side during his feud with CM Punk
John Cena's rivalry with CM Punk throughout 2011 and 2012 defined an era. The Franchise Player and The Voice Of The Voiceless engaged in battles of skill, popularity, and ideology, taking both men to their limits. However, this could have gone differently if The Champ had turned heel.
Punk reached the height of his popularity by winning their classic match at Money In The Bank and leaving the company in storyline with the WWE Championship. Together with the infamous pipebomb promo in the buildup to the match, this could have triggered a heel turn by Cena due to his title loss and defeat of his ideology.
Such a turn would have propelled The Straight Edge Superstar to greater popularity, simultaneously creating the biggest heel in the industry since Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
#2: John Cena should have succumbed to the dark side after WrestleMania 36
#TBT to #WrestleMania 36 when @JohnCena was #nWo 4 Life!
#nWoWeek https://t.co/RBJnZkkMpl
John Cena and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt faced off in a Firefly Funhouse match at WrestleMania 36. This unique cinematic encounter dissected The Cenation Leader's career, values, and principles through Wyatt's eyes. The result was a humanized look at the weaknesses of Cena's superhero character.
The bout teased Cena as a heel a few times, even showing a scenario where he became a newer version of NWO leader Hollywood Hulk Hogan. However, one moment that stood out was when he succumbed to his fear and opted to use a steel chair against Wyatt, a decision he had opted against six years earlier at the same stage. This moral corruption of his values ultimately led to his defeat.
Wyatt had a history of changing opponents such as Daniel Bryan and The Miz after defeating them. Hence, it would have made perfect sense for Cena to morph into a broken, paranoid shell of himself and abandon his values, thereby turning heel.
#1: John Cena should have executed a heel turn after WrestleMania 28
Wrestlemania 28. Sun Life Stadium. Thank U @WWE Universe & Team Bring It for an unforgettable night. #RockVsCena http://t.co/vE4S1KTY
John Cena suffered the biggest loss of his career at WrestleMania 28, falling to The Rock in a shocking result. The Cenation Leader's overconfidence, which led him to try and beat his opponent with his own move, caused his downfall. In Cena's own words, the year that followed was the "worst" of his career.
A loss against John Laurinaitis at Over The Limit, an unsuccessful Money In The Bank cash-in, and a Summerslam loss were some of The Champ's low points in this period. He would end up getting his redemption by beating The Great One at WrestleMania 29, winning the WWE Championship in the process.
But if ever there was a time for the sixteen-time world champion to exhibit doubt in himself and turn to villainy to stay on top, this was it.