At WWE Elimination Chamber 2025, John Cena shocked the wrestling world by turning heel, a move that goes up his long-standing heroic image.
Cena aligned himself with The Rock, attacking Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes after Rhodes turned down The Rock’s offer. It was a betrayal that stunned fans and significantly altered the landscape of WWE.
It added a ton of heat on Cena and the build towards his match with Rhodes at WrestleMania for the WWE Title. This unexpected shift marked a dramatic departure from Cena’s established persona as a babyface.
However, just because Cena has been a babyface for the majority of his WWE tenure doesn’t mean he didn’t act like a heel from time to time.
Outshining Roman Reigns
In the lead-up to their No Mercy 2017 match, WWE positioned Roman Reigns as John Cena’s successor, aiming for a “passing of the torch” moment. However, Cena’s intense verbal assault on Reigns during their contract signing, labeling him a “cheap-***, corporately-created John Cena bootleg” and dismissing Reigns’s retorts, shifted the dynamic.
Cena’s worked-shoot promo, which also referenced The Undertaker, effectively diminished Reigns’s stature, portraying him as Cena’s inferior. Despite Reigns’s victory at No Mercy, the feud’s narrative, especially Cena’s aggressive mic work, hindered Reigns’s intended elevation until Reigns’s heel turn years later.
The Firefly Funhouse Match
At WrestleMania 36, forced into creativity by the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE presented the surreal Firefly Funhouse Match between John Cena and Bray Wyatt. This match, more performance art than wrestling, took Cena on a psychological journey through his career, including an alternate reality where he joined the nWo.
The segment also highlighted Cena’s past heelish actions, such as his Doctor of Thuganomics persona and an attempted violent chair attack. Cena’s descent into The Fiend’s realm concluded with his disappearance, setting the stage for his 2021 return.
That Time He Stole Zack Ryder’s Girlfriend
In early 2012, John Cena’s actions toward Zack Ryder and Eve Torres blurred the lines of his “good guy” persona. As Kane targeted Ryder and Torres, Cena’s inability to protect them raised questions.
On Valentine’s Day eve, Cena rescued Torres from Kane, only to kiss her in front of a wheelchair-bound Ryder, a move Ryder understandably resented. Cena’s subsequent denial and inaction as Kane pushed Ryder off the Raw stage further tarnished his heroic image.
Attacking His Opponents After I Quit Matches
Despite his “Never Give Up” mantra and undefeated record in “I Quit” matches, John Cena’s post-match behavior often contradicted his babyface image. At Judgment Day 2005, after defeating JBL, Cena violently attacked his surrendered opponent.
Similarly, at Over The Limit 2010, Cena delivered a brutal AA to a defeated Batista, contributing to Batista’s kayfabe retirement. These post-match assaults painted Cena as excessively vengeful.
Losing His Cool
At ECW One Night Stand 2006, facing a hostile crowd, John Cena’s composure faltered. Frustrated by the referee’s enforcement of rope breaks during an Extreme Rules match, Cena physically retaliated against the official, culminating in a clothesline. This outburst, a clear departure from his usual demeanor, contributed to his eventual defeat.
Attacking Todd Grisham
On Raw after Cyber Sunday 2006, John Cena, despite being given the night off, appeared and attacked interviewer Todd Grisham. Cena’s unprovoked assault, following a bizarre accusation, showcased a volatile side, prompting Jim Ross’s alarmed reaction.
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Embarrassing Michael Cole & John Laurinaitis
In 2012, John Cena targeted the despised Michael Cole and John Laurinaitis. Cena’s extended humiliation of Laurinaitis at Over the Limit and No Way Out, and his public degradation of Cole on Raw, including a BBQ sauce and fire extinguisher assault, served as extreme displays of vengeance.
Burying Wade Barrett’s Main Event Aspirations
At SummerSlam 2010, John Cena’s dominant performance against The Nexus, followed by his chairs match victory over Wade Barrett at TLC 2010, effectively ended Barrett’s main event push. Cena’s excessive post-match attack on Barrett further solidified his image as overly dominant.
Sneak Attacking The Rock
On the Raw before WrestleMania XXVII, John Cena’s sneak attack on The Rock, after The Rock had dealt with The Miz and Alex Riley, drew significant boos from the audience. This act, designed to build intrigue for their WrestleMania match, portrayed Cena as underhanded.
Ruining Rey Mysterio’s WWE Title Victory
After Rey Mysterio’s emotional WWE Title win in 2011, John Cena immediately challenged him to a main event match on Raw. Cena’s victory, following Mysterio’s earlier match, tainted Mysterio’s win and shifted focus to Cena’s confrontation with the returning CM Punk, overshadowing Mysterio’s moment.
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