John Cena says a heel turn almost happened in WWE.
The former 16-time world champion appeared on the latest edition of Insight With Chris Van Vilet to discuss his long career with the company, which included him addressing the plan to become a bad guy that never happened. Cena states that right around the time he began his first feud with The Rock was when WWE was going to pull the trigger on him going heel. The idea went through all the proper channels because Cena recorded a new intro song and even got new gear.
It was Cena Rock 1. I got word that they were going to do it. I went out and recorded a new song. I went out and got all new gear. I wasn’t prepared for ruthless aggression, that was the last time I wasn’t prepared. I mean, I heard rumblings of we’re going to do it. And in 48 hours, I had a new track, a new studio mix theme song, final mix. I had seven new singlets, low-cut singlets with boxing-type robes. I already had the boots in storage, so I dusted them off. I was ready to go and already thinking about like what I could do with the story.
Cena would then go on to explain what changes he was going to make to his character, and how his physical transformation was only the first step.
Okay, what is a heel? A heel is not just new gear. The objectivity, or the message behind the singlet and the boxing robes and the boots is the exact opposite of what you saw with the street gear, the jeans shorts, the t-shirt, the ball cap, the sneakers. Go the opposite route and now lean into the opposite of everything you stand for. So I would begin to not work as hard. I would show up less, I would be untrustworthy and unloyal. I would lack respect in what I did. Like all you have to do is turn that on its [head]. I would give up a lot. All those things you can take and make interesting stories. And this is the stuff that’s running through my head, not what moves can I do. It’s like how can I take the intellectual property that people are familiar with and twist it so it’s like this guy’s insane.
Staying on subject, Cena reveals that he got in too deep with the direction he was planning on going and WWE eventually pulled the idea. However, he reiterates that he was ready and excited for the change.
It’s everything I’ve come to love and now I genuinely hate it. And in being a real bad guy, and I think that was the conversation that was eventually had where it’s like, okay, it’s a bad idea. I’m like, Hey, I know this is going to sting but I’m not going to sell another T-shirt. I’m going to take all merchandise off the market. I’m not going to put on anything new. I’m not going to do any more appearances. I’m not going to do any Make-A-Wish. I’m not going to do anything like that. I’m going to be a bad guy to make your good guy so your good guy does all that. And that’s when I was like we’re kind of in too deep. So it worked out the way it worked out. But bro, I was ready.
You can check out the full interview below.