WWE made the right call to keep John Cena as a babyface throughout the heights of his career, according to Hall of Famer Arn Anderson.
On a recent edition of his “ARN” podcast, Anderson explained why he feels WWE was correct in keeping Cena as a babyface despite pressure from some fans. He said,
“John, the grown males were jealous of him to a degree, but he had those kids, and when you have their trust, and you betray their trust, I think what you would’ve gotten would have been a disappointed group at John. But it wouldn’t have transferred into heat-seeking money drawing just because kids are his audience.”
Anderson compared Cena to Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat who also did not turn heel and believes Steamboat would have ruined his career if he had. He said,
“Ricky used to bug me all the time, ‘Arn, I wanna work heel, I have so much fun, I want to be a heel. I said, ‘Ricky, all you would do is upset a bunch of grandmothers and grandfathers, a lot of people that believe in you, buddy, you’d just disappoint them.’”
WWE reportedly had plans to turn Cena heel in 2012 but ultimately ditched the idea. His most recent match was at last year’s Crown Jewel pay-per-view event where he lost to Solo Sikoa.
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WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson recently discussed the decision to keep John Cena as a babyface throughout his career, stating that it was the right call by the company. Despite pressure from some fans to turn Cena heel, Anderson believes that keeping him as a fan-favorite was the best decision.
Anderson explained on his “ARN” podcast that Cena had a strong connection with younger fans, and betraying their trust would not have resulted in the desired heat-seeking reaction. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the trust of Cena’s young audience, as they were a significant part of his fanbase.
Comparing Cena to Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat, Anderson highlighted Steamboat’s desire to work as a heel. However, Anderson believed that turning Steamboat heel would have disappointed many fans who believed in him, including grandmothers and grandfathers. He stressed that it was crucial for wrestlers like Cena and Steamboat to consider the impact their character turns would have on their loyal supporters.
It has been reported that WWE had plans to turn Cena heel in 2012 but ultimately decided against it. Cena’s most recent match took place at last year’s Crown Jewel pay-per-view event, where he lost to Solo Sikoa.
Fans can listen to Anderson’s full discussion on his “ARN” podcast, where he delves deeper into the topic. The podcast episode features special guest Gerald Brisco and provides further insights into the wrestling industry.
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In conclusion, keeping John Cena as a babyface throughout his career was a wise decision by WWE. Maintaining the trust of his young fanbase and avoiding disappointment among loyal supporters were key factors in this decision. While there were plans to turn Cena heel in the past, the company ultimately chose to stick with his popular character.