John Cena Explains WWE Babyface Turn – John Cena has officially shifted back to a babyface role, ending his first extended heel run in over 20 years. The change came on the final episode of SmackDown before SummerSlam, and at the Clash in Paris post-show press conference, the 17-time World Champion explained the decision, making it clear that it was driven by the WWE Universe.
Cena acknowledged that while bold risks are part of the business, ignoring fan reactions is unsustainable. “Keep in mind, what we do is try to entertain the audience as best we can,” Cena said. “And sometimes, that involves taking risks and sometimes, that takes being bold. You also have to listen to the audience. It got to a point where, Cena vs. Randy, you start hearing this. Cena vs. Punk in Saudi, you start hearing the noise. Cena-Cody WrestleMania, Cena-Cody SummerSlam, it changes. Sometimes, you can make bold and brave new moves, but going against this body of energy is a losing battle. So sometimes, you just gotta listen and pivot, change course.”
Cena’s heel turn shocked the wrestling world at Elimination Chamber in February, when he aligned with The Rock. That run saw him win his record-breaking 17th World Championship at WrestleMania 41, but despite the storyline shift, fans continued to cheer him. Over time, it became clear that audiences wanted him back in the role that defined most of his career.
During the press conference, Cena also recalled a personal moment from his heel run, reflecting on a chance to apologize to a young fan in Brussels. “To be able to apologize to my man, it’s great,” Cena said. “To be able to say sorry, and to be able to say I‘m sorry because I said hurtful things. I was having a bad day, so to speak. I think we’ll reflect on this a whole lot more in January.”
The adjustment has already paid off, with Cena defeating Logan Paul at WWE Clash in Paris in his first major match back as a babyface. His retirement tour now continues with just eight dates left, set to conclude on December 13.
John Cena Explains WWE Babyface Turn
