Triple H, a major figure in the wrestling world, recently appeared on the “High Performance” podcast. During the interview, he reminisced about his conversation with John Cena concerning Cena’s surprising transformation into a heel character.
This unexpected character shift took place at WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto. On this occasion, Cena partnered with The Rock to defeat Cody Rhodes, demonstrating his support for the villainous side.
Triple H divulged that Cena was excited by the concept of converting his character to a heel role.
Triple H revealed, “Our discussion hinged on Cena’s return and potential retirement, leading to his final wrestling lap. As we talked, Cena’s professionalism shone through. Despite having personal opinions, he assured me that whatever is asked of him, he’d give his best shot. He viewed himself as simply a character named John Cena and seemed unconcerned about the consequences. Our conversation ranged from him losing every match, winning every match, or even becoming champion again and he was okay with all these possibilities. Typically, a year-long tour would be the safe option where he repeats his successful acts. While this rings a bell with the audience, it can feel mundane for the performer. I then proposed a radical idea – turning him into a ‘heel’. To me, it was an intriguing prospect that hadn’t been explored yet. In our initial phone conversation about this, Cena listened intently and responded positively. He appreciated the boldness of the idea and saw it as a new challenge. The prospect of making his fans dislike his character excited him. However, who can predict if he might turn good again by December or retire as a bad guy?”
John Cena is set to face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the upcoming WrestleMania 41 event (Night Two) this Sunday.