WWE could have gone in a much different direction with John Cena and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes ahead of WrestleMania 41.
The wrestling world is still reeling from John Cena’s dramatic heel turn at WWE Elimination Chamber. His alliance with The Rock and betrayal of his loyal fans has set the stage for a highly anticipated Undisputed WWE Title match against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.
Michael Cole called the moment one of the most shocking in WWE history, a view widely held by the audience.
Dave Meltzer, in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, reported that the original plan was to have Rhodes turn heel and not Cena. However, once Rhodes turned it down, plans changed. Cena’s heel turn, alongside The Rock, was also originally slated to occur at the end of WrestleMania 41. However, a decision was made during the day of the Elimination Chamber to execute the turn at that event, necessitating it to close the show.
The dramatic conclusion of Elimination Chamber ignited a widespread reaction, extending beyond wrestling circles and into mainstream media, with figures like Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith discussing it on ESPN.
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The Rock, during the post-show, highlighted John Cena’s dedication, revealing that he flew in and out on the same day. Fans will likely get their first opportunity to hear Cena’s explanation for his actions on the March 17th episode of Raw, where he is advertised to appear.
Cena has been one of WWE’s most prominent babyfaces for nearly two decades. The whole point of the character is to spread his positive attitude, his dedication to his fans, and his “never give up” mantra. Therefore, him turning heel is a massive departure from his persona and spits in the face of everything he once stood for.
Because of his long-term status as a babyface, many fans thought that he would never turn heel, especially in his retirement year. Therefore, when it happened, it was a very shocking moment. Now, WWE will look to capitalize on this and make it one of the more special turns in history.
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