For the past few weeks, the WWE Universe had to reckon with the unthinkable. For the first time in over two decades, John Cena turned heel. He attacked Cody Rhodes at Elimination Chamber: Toronto, joining forces with The Rock in an out-of-character meltdown.
For weeks, fans were eagerly anticipating his return to the ring, wanting to know what he had to say. On the March 17, 2025 episode of Monday Night Raw, fans in Brussels got to experience that speech firsthand. During his address, he blamed the fans for his heel turn, calling it a breakup and a dysfunctional relationship.
This was an entirely different John Cena than the one that people remember. Instead of being happy and jolly, he was angry and serious. Given his explanation, is it a valid one or is he directing his anger at the wrong people?
John Cena Should Take His Anger Out on the Fans
For twenty-three years, John Cena was a babyface, making people laugh and smile. His mantra of never giving up inspired a whole generation of fans to be like him. But what happened in Toronto was something no one ever saw coming.
He mentioned that he’s a human being and how he’s been booed ever since he started wrestling. When he won the majority of his championships, he was called Super Cena and relentlessly hated. He would’ve been a perfect heel during that time, but the fans didn’t want that.
They only wanted inspirational Cena, instead of what he was truly feeling at some points of his career. He should be mad at the fans for suppressing his true emotions and who he truly is. John Cena was forced to be a babyface because the fans didn’t want him to change anything about his character in the ring.
He is Afraid of Admitting the Truth about His WrestleMania Match
When John Cena announced that 2025 was his last year wrestling, he meant it. Attacking Cody Rhodes and aligning with The Rock, who could potentially help him win. It is just a smoke screen for his insecurity regarding the prospect of losing his match at WrestleMania 41.
If he doesn’t win the Undisputed WWE Championship, he will walk out as a loser. To make matters worse, he won’t win his record-setting 17th championship.
Sure, he could challenge Rhodes at SummerSlam or Survivor Series and win it. But to have an illustrious career and put on that performance, especially after winning Elimination Chamber, would be embarrassing.
Blaming the fans instead of addressing Rhodes is a distraction in order to not admit that he’s scared of what potentially could happen. John Cena wants to keep his legacy alive, and he’ll do whatever it takes to walk out a winner at WrestleMania.
John Cena Will Have a Tough Road to WrestleMania
Looking around the arena on Monday, you saw no friends of John Cena. Rhodes doesn’t like him, the commentators are disgusted by him, and the fans mercilessly booed him the entire time he was in the ring. The only person in his corner is The Rock, who might not even show up until WrestleMania.
This is a lose-lose situation for him. If he wins the Undisputed WWE Championship, there will definitely be controversy.
Either he wins clean, with fans despising him and his actions, or the Rock helps him in some way. If he loses, some fans who still like him will be disappointed by the outcome of the match.
There are a lot of people who don’t like or trust John Cena at this point in time. Given what is going on, the road to WrestleMania will be a tough one for him for many valid reasons.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – WWE – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on John Cena, and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
You can check out WWE programming on Netflix (Raw), USA Network (SmackDown), The CW (NXT), Tubi (WWE Evolve), A&E (WWE Superstar Sunday – Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments) and Peacock (WWE Main Event as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on YouTube, and catch fast-paced action on X (WWE Speed).
