Kemo
06-08-2021, 06:25 PM
Former WWE writer Matt McCarthy recently talked about John Cena on his We Watch Wrestling podcast. He revealed how close the Cenation leader was to a heel turn in the company at one point. McCarthy was talking about the time when the former world champion was still a full-time performer.
Vince McMahon was trying to figure out a way to incorporate some heelish qualities in his character but not turn him completely. However, the Hollywood star wanted to do a complete heel turn. He was committed to the idea to a point where John Cena even had new ring gear made for him:
“Vince kept trying to figure out how do we do like a Bret Hart thing? Where he’s a heel in some places, but he’s a babyface in the rest of the places. Cena was like, ‘If I’m going heel, I want to go full heel,’ and it did get close enough to the point where, and I’m sure he still has this gear, like Cena had gear made for the heel turn, you know? No longer the jorts. I don’t know what the gear was, but he had specific gear made ready and waiting.”
Though as we know the heel turn never happened. Revealing the reason behind it, Matt explained that the company cooled down on the idea after they couldn’t reach an agreement. The officials decided that a heel turn wouldn’t change things for Cena. So it was best to keep things as they were:
“And then obviously we know it never happened, and there was a point in the discussions where it was like, ‘Well, the people who are gonna cheer him are going to continue to cheer him and the people who are gonna boo him, are just gonna keep booing him.’ So the thinking was, that’s the most heelish thing he can do is to stay that white meat, smiling, pure babyface…”
John Cena has since moved on from his role as the face of the company. After a 15 year-long run at the top, the former champion now only makes sporadic appearances for the promotion. Although he is expected to make a return very soon. Latest reports suggest that we may see the former US champion competing in a big championship match at SummerSlam.
Vince McMahon was trying to figure out a way to incorporate some heelish qualities in his character but not turn him completely. However, the Hollywood star wanted to do a complete heel turn. He was committed to the idea to a point where John Cena even had new ring gear made for him:
“Vince kept trying to figure out how do we do like a Bret Hart thing? Where he’s a heel in some places, but he’s a babyface in the rest of the places. Cena was like, ‘If I’m going heel, I want to go full heel,’ and it did get close enough to the point where, and I’m sure he still has this gear, like Cena had gear made for the heel turn, you know? No longer the jorts. I don’t know what the gear was, but he had specific gear made ready and waiting.”
Though as we know the heel turn never happened. Revealing the reason behind it, Matt explained that the company cooled down on the idea after they couldn’t reach an agreement. The officials decided that a heel turn wouldn’t change things for Cena. So it was best to keep things as they were:
“And then obviously we know it never happened, and there was a point in the discussions where it was like, ‘Well, the people who are gonna cheer him are going to continue to cheer him and the people who are gonna boo him, are just gonna keep booing him.’ So the thinking was, that’s the most heelish thing he can do is to stay that white meat, smiling, pure babyface…”
John Cena has since moved on from his role as the face of the company. After a 15 year-long run at the top, the former champion now only makes sporadic appearances for the promotion. Although he is expected to make a return very soon. Latest reports suggest that we may see the former US champion competing in a big championship match at SummerSlam.