Hulk Hogan thinks Vince McMahon shouldn't have refused to turn 25-time Champion heel
Hulk Hogan had a career renaissance in 1996 when he broke out of the superhero image to form the New World Order, kickstarting one of the hottest runs of his wrestling career. He believes that another legend should have followed in his footsteps.
He was referring to one of his future successors, John Cena. The Cenation Leader, who is a 25-time Champion overall in WWE, never turned heel since 2005, with Vince McMahon reportedly refusing to do so due to his popularity among children, merchandise sales, and impact on the Make-A-Wish foundation.
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Hulk Hogan stated his view that John Cena could have been one of the hottest heels of all time, eventually leading to an even bigger babyface run.
Hogan said:
"'He would be one of the hottest heels ever,' Hogan said about Cena. 'And then, whether it's six months, six years, or two years when you repent and beg for forgiveness, he'd be hotter than he was before as a babyface. It's a natural flow that, once you get the vibe out there, John would be in a better position to know [if the heel turn is working] than Vince [McMahon].'" [H/T WrestlingInc]
While Cena is now a beloved legend in the WWE Universe, there was a time when a vocal portion of fans booed him due to what they considered 'stale booking,' something Roman Reigns also went through during his run as a babyface.
Ultimately, Vince McMahon was the only person who did not want him to ever turn heel, and although it still worked out well in the end, it raised a big 'what if?' question.
You can watch the full interview below:
Hulk Hogan claims WWE wanted him to face John Cena at WrestleMania 25
Although John Cena faced Edge and Big Show at WrestleMania 25 to capture the World Heavyweight Championship, Hulk Hogan said that things may have been different.
In the same interview, he claimed that he was approached for a match against Cena at WrestleMania 25, but he could not accept the deal as he had to undergo surgery again.
"'My back went out when I was talking to Vince on the phone,' Hogan recalled. 'I just had back surgery number three or four at that time, and I had to go right in immediately and get cut up,'" Hogan added.
Hulk Hogan even claimed in the same interview that there were plans for his son Nick to compete at WrestleMania 39 against Shane McMahon.
A higher-up in WWE categorically denied Hogan's claims, stating that 'in no way is that true.' The higher-up proceeded to say that, to their memory, there were never any serious discussions about anything.
As for his claims about a match against John Cena, fans on Twitter seemed to unanimously call him out and opted not to believe him.
What do you think of Hulk Hogan's opinion regarding John Cena? Sound off in the comments section below!