From the WWE Rumor Mill: Kmart deal prevented John Cena heel turn

What's the story?

During a recent episode of the Wade Keller Wrestling Podcast, former WWE creative writer Kevin Eck stated that, at one point, Vince McMahon was interested in a potential John Cena heel turn. However, the WWE head honcho reneged on the idea because Cena had a big clothing line with Kmart at the time.

In case you didn't know...

Even since he first earned the ire of the audience, fans and critics alike have been clamouring for John Cena to turn heel. However, the Massachusetts native's strong merchandise sales and connection with WWE's younger demographic have prevented it from going through.

The heart of the matter

According to Kevin Eck, this heel turn was discussed at the time when Sheamus was set to be pushed as a top babyface. But even though the deal with Kmart was a stumbling block, McMahon was always reluctant to give his top star a Darth Vader moment.

"During a meeting once Vince had a huge smile on his face, and he tells everyone that I know you've wanted John Cena as a heel for a long time, but we just can't turn him heel and that was the end of that," Kevin Eck added.

What's next?

John Cena is now no longer reviled by WWE's hardcore fans, thanks in large part to his tremendous run as United States Champion in 2015. This combined with the fact that he is no longer a full-time performer means that there just isn't an appetite for him to turn heel anymore.

Author's take

While John Cena would have been a tremendous heel, Sheamus wouldn't have been the right foil for him. The 16-time World Champion should've turned to the dark side during the height of CM Punk's popularity as a babyface. The two performers always had great chemistry, and they would've created some compelling television.

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