John Cena could leave WWE with major change, says veteran
John Cena's illustrious WWE in-ring career is nearing its end following his latest appearance on SmackDown. Meanwhile, veteran wrestling personality Dutch Mantell recently offered his thoughts on a potential character transformation for The Franchise Player before he officially retires.
Cena shockingly turned heel for the first time in over two decades at this year's Elimination Chamber by joining forces with The Rock. So far in his villainous run, he has dethroned Cody Rhodes to become a record-breaking 17-time World Champion and defeated Randy Orton and R-Truth.
Speaking on his Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast, the former WWE manager responded to a fan's question, stating John Cena could easily revert to being a beloved babyface. Dutch Mantell claimed that The Cenation Leader would only need to choose a heel star and then engage in a major feud with that antagonist.
The veteran also felt that The Last Real Champion would prefer to end his final tenure as a babyface, affirming the possibility of a change from his existing heel role.
"Of course, he [John Cena] can turn back babyface easy. All he would have to do is pick the top heel, and then him and the heel have a big falling out. Yeah [sic] nothing's impossible. I do think he will end his career—I think he would like to end it as a babyface," Mantell said. [From 00:24 to 00:44]
You can check out the video below:
John Cena set for a blockbuster match at upcoming WWE Premium Live Event
At Money in the Bank 2025, John Cena and Logan Paul lost a tag team match to Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes. The heel duo suffered an upset due to R-Truth's shocking return and attack on the current Undisputed WWE Champion.
The 48-year-old legend then appeared on RAW after MITB. During his promo, John Cena stated he wanted to face a tough competitor, which led to CM Punk confronting him.
As announced on the Monday night show, The Cenation Leader will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against The Second City Saint at Night of Champions PLE. This championship bout is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28.
It will be exciting to see if John Cena turns babyface before his Farewell Tour concludes by the end of December 2025.
Please credit the Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.