Why Cena’s Heel Turn Happened at Elimination Chamber – John Cena’s shocking heel turn at the 2025 Elimination Chamber premium live event and subsequent WrestleMania 41 victory over Cody Rhodes was not originally part of a long-term storyline. Instead, according to Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer, the pivotal character shift came as a result of a late-stage decision—one that Cena himself played a key role in shaping.
Meltzer explained that there were internal discussions on the day of Elimination Chamber about when Cena would make the turn. While WWE initially planned to save the heel turn for WrestleMania, Cena reportedly pushed for it to happen that night. “That was John Cena’s decision. He made the call to do it,” Meltzer stated, though he clarified that WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque ultimately signed off on the move.
This decision led to a significant reshuffling of the show. The planned segment involving The Rock confronting Cody Rhodes—originally set for earlier in the night—was pushed to the final slot. This shift was made to set up the closing moment of Cena aligning with The Rock after winning the Elimination Chamber match and securing his WWE Title opportunity for WrestleMania.
The Rock had previously returned weeks before Elimination Chamber, claiming TKO CEO Ari Emanuel requested his appearance to help boost ticket sales. In his return promo, The Rock confronted Cody Rhodes, declaring he wanted his “soul.”
Interestingly, The Rock has since commented that he chose to step away from the spotlight following the Chamber event. He said he wanted the focus to remain on Cena and Rhodes, even questioning what his own role would have been at WrestleMania had he stayed involved. This has stirred speculation about creative differences between The Rock and Triple H, especially given how the storyline diverged from the structured narratives usually seen under Levesque’s leadership.
Cena’s heel turn ultimately paid off in terms of story impact, culminating in his main event victory over Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 – Night Two. The move has sparked a wave of discussion in the wrestling community, not only because of its shocking nature but also due to the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that made it happen.
Why Cena’s Heel Turn Happened at Elimination Chamber
