John Cena recalled Vince McMahon’s plans to turn him heel in WWE and how he prepared for that character change.
Cena recalled in his speech “FanX Comic Conventions“that he was going into detail to prepare for his heel character, recalling an earlier incident when he was close; turning heel under McMahonbut the plan ultimately failed.
“When I had my once-in-a-lifetime fight with Dwayne Johnson in Miami, Vince McMahon said, He left it at that,” he said. “I recorded a new theme song. I made 10 new outfits. I made wrestling robes. I made wrestling boots. I had the WWE file for the “Fear My Name” brand. It was never used. None of these items have been used. I walked like I was moving through space in a new singlet and robe. I was practicing how I would behave. It never materialized. He came back four weeks later and said we’re not doing it, we’re deleting it. That’s how I try to be ready. Someone suggests it might happen.”
The veteran star finally turned in WWE in 2025, and this time he was just as prepared as he was the last time the heel turn didn’t happen. He stated that the decision to turn his heel was made at the last moment.
“The idea of a heel turn kind of came up. They wanted to do something special for Toronto. They knew they could get stars there. They called me and asked if I wanted to go this way like a few days before the show. And I said yes. And it started preparing for it all,” he said.
Cena revealed it was his idea the heel turn came from Triple Hclaiming that he accepted it almost immediately.