WWE fans stunned as John Cena aligns with The Rock to make biggest heel turn in decades

John Cena stunned the world of professional wrestling by turning heel turn on Saturday night. The 16-time world champion, who is on a farewell tour as he bows out from the industry, won the Elimination Chamber match to book his spot on the WrestleMania 41 card. Cena turned heel as he attacked Rhodes in shocking scenes at Elimination ChamberGetty His victory set up a bout with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes – and it initially appeared that the two top faces of the company would be squaring off come April. But that won’t be the case, as Elimination Chamber concluded with the previously untouchable Cena selling out to his old rival, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and making the biggest heel turn seen in decades. As Rhodes took to the ring to congratulate Cena on winning inside the chamber, The Rock and and rap star Travis Scott interrupted their meeting. ‘The Final Boss’ demanded an answer to his recent offer of taking Rhodes’ soul and turning him into ‘his champion’ – but was rebuffed. As Cena embraced Rhodes for making that decision, he suddenly received a signal from The Rock. Seconds later, the 16-time world champion shockingly booted Cody below the belt and carried out a devastating attack, leaving him in a bloody, crumpled heap as the WWE Universe watched on. The move turned Cena heel for the first time in over two decades, and left fans stunned. “We just all witnessed the greatest heel turn in ALL of wrestling HISTORY. This topped Hogan joining the NWO by a landslide,” one excited person wrote. Another said: “We will never forget this day holy s***.” “Insane game-changing moment,” a third concluded, while many more described Cena’s heel turn as ‘absolute cinema’. Cena initially embraced Rhodes as he turned down an offer from The RockX: @WWE But ‘The Final Boss’ then gave Cena a signal, calling on him to attack RhodesX: @WWE Cena booted his rival below the belt, leaving the WWE Universe stunnedX: @WWE He then posed with the title belt ahead of their WrestleMania matchX: @WWE Heel Cena is uncharted territory for WWE, given he has been the untouchable face of the company for more than two decades. Many fans had been calling for years to see the hero turn bad, but had resigned themselves to the fact it would probably never happen. But much to their delight, it has happened in Cena’s final year, and the build up to WrestleMania will no doubt be must-watch thanks to the decision. Speaking after the Elimination Chamber event, The Rock also broke character to praise WWE for pulling off the turn. “The thing I’m excited for is watching John perform this,” he said in the post-show press conference. “Because if you think about it, John has been our Babe Ruth, our Superman. Cena made the biggest WWE heel turn in decades at Elimination ChamberGetty View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEChamber?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw “He is the guy you never, ever, ever, thought would turn in this way and he did. “It’s a big risk and it’s ballsy to do something like that and it’s gutsy and he put a lot of thought into it.”

Mar 2, 2025 - 12:43
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WWE fans stunned as John Cena aligns with The Rock to make biggest heel turn in decades

John Cena stunned the world of professional wrestling by turning heel turn on Saturday night.

The 16-time world champion, who is on a farewell tour as he bows out from the industry, won the Elimination Chamber match to book his spot on the WrestleMania 41 card.

Cena turned heel as he attacked Rhodes in shocking scenes at Elimination Chamber
Getty

His victory set up a bout with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes – and it initially appeared that the two top faces of the company would be squaring off come April.

But that won’t be the case, as Elimination Chamber concluded with the previously untouchable Cena selling out to his old rival, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and making the biggest heel turn seen in decades.

As Rhodes took to the ring to congratulate Cena on winning inside the chamber, The Rock and and rap star Travis Scott interrupted their meeting.

‘The Final Boss’ demanded an answer to his recent offer of taking Rhodes’ soul and turning him into ‘his champion’ – but was rebuffed.

As Cena embraced Rhodes for making that decision, he suddenly received a signal from The Rock.

Seconds later, the 16-time world champion shockingly booted Cody below the belt and carried out a devastating attack, leaving him in a bloody, crumpled heap as the WWE Universe watched on.

The move turned Cena heel for the first time in over two decades, and left fans stunned.

“We just all witnessed the greatest heel turn in ALL of wrestling HISTORY. This topped Hogan joining the NWO by a landslide,” one excited person wrote.

Another said: “We will never forget this day holy s***.”

“Insane game-changing moment,” a third concluded, while many more described Cena’s heel turn as ‘absolute cinema’.

Cena initially embraced Rhodes as he turned down an offer from The Rock
X: @WWE
But ‘The Final Boss’ then gave Cena a signal, calling on him to attack Rhodes
X: @WWE
Cena booted his rival below the belt, leaving the WWE Universe stunned
X: @WWE
He then posed with the title belt ahead of their WrestleMania match
X: @WWE

Heel Cena is uncharted territory for WWE, given he has been the untouchable face of the company for more than two decades.

Many fans had been calling for years to see the hero turn bad, but had resigned themselves to the fact it would probably never happen.

But much to their delight, it has happened in Cena’s final year, and the build up to WrestleMania will no doubt be must-watch thanks to the decision.

Speaking after the Elimination Chamber event, The Rock also broke character to praise WWE for pulling off the turn.

“The thing I’m excited for is watching John perform this,” he said in the post-show press conference.

“Because if you think about it, John has been our Babe Ruth, our Superman.

Cena made the biggest WWE heel turn in decades at Elimination Chamber
Getty

“He is the guy you never, ever, ever, thought would turn in this way and he did.

“It’s a big risk and it’s ballsy to do something like that and it’s gutsy and he put a lot of thought into it.”