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John Cena recently opened up about turning heel in WWE and how it never came to fruition.
In October 2002, Cena shifted to the Doctor of Thuganomics character on SmackDown. He was a heel rapper who loved to talk as much as he loved to fight. This act would eventually turn him into a babyface roughly a year later. He hasn't turned heel since then.
The Leader of Cenation was recently a guest on In the Envelope: The Actor's Podcast to discuss a wide variety of subjects. When asked about never turning heel again in WWE after shifting to a babyface in 2003, Cena explained it by saying that the company walks a gray line.
"WWE and sports entertainment walk that gray line," John Cena said. "Everyone knows it’s entertainment, everyone. But everyone wants to believe in what’s going on. They don’t ask, even the most iconic superhero characters, they’re known for their performances but they do get to step away. There is a clear-cut difference. In WWE, the audience doesn’t want that. They don’t." [H/T Wresting Inc.]
John Cena was informed in 2009 that WWE would never turn him heel again
The 16-time world champion revealed that he was told in 2009 that he would not undergo a "tectonic shift" with the Cena character ever again. He added that the conversation about being a heel was off the board at that point.
"And that’s what keeps them coming back and that’s what keeps the train on the tracks. That’s part of it," John Cena continued. "So I was made aware that I would not undergo a tectonic shift in John Cena, the character, probably around 2009. So that allowed me to get that conversation off the board, and I had to, or I chose to dive into nuance."
Although he is no longer a regular with WWE, there is no denying that The Cenation Leader was a top babyface during his time with the company. He is also one of the most accomplished wrestlers with 16 world titles to his name.
What do you make of Cena's comments? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
