WWE legend John Cena earns unlikely record as he shocks with evil heel turn
John Cena's WWE career has been a pretty iconic one, so it's no wonder his decision to change sides shocked fans so much.
He's had a massive impact on the sport and become one of its most recognized stars, especially after earning himself a number of Hollywood roles.
Making his WWE debut in 2002, his initial character was a generic good guy type, but it was his "Doctor of Thuganomics" persona that first caught fans' attention.
Dressed in hip-hop gear, and often showing off his rapping skills, he quckly became a fan favourite.
And it was at WrestleMania 21 that he earned his first championship title.
It was after that that WWE began pushing him as the face of the company, with his good looks, family friendly image, and inspirational attitude appealing to the younger generation while maintaining the respect of older fans.
For over a decade, Cena became synonymous with WWE’s mainstream appeal.
His "Never Give Up" slogan and colourful attire made him the ultimate "face" (the good guy) of the company. And his many appearances across media outside of the WWE did wonders to boost the sport's reach.
Cena's appeal to the sport was undeniable, but his reach was much greater than that. Kids loved him and adults - especially parents - loved the way he gave his time to help others.
His work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, granting over 650 wishes, became one of his most important legacies, earning the Guinness World Records title for most wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Now, his shocking change to the dark side has earned him a new record - the longest WWE Face run before turning heel.
Selling a piece of history. My commemorative chair and ticket stub from the night John Cena turned heel.
— SantiZap (@MrSantiZap) March 2, 2025
I’ll start the bidding at 30 souls. pic.twitter.com/Xm9DQLNj86
It was in his match with Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Logan Paul, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest that Cena changed sides.
Eventually it came down to two - Cena Vs Punk.
The long-time rivals traded furious strikes, with each man desperate for a ticket to WrestleMania.
Have the discipline to do what needs to be done, especially when you don’t feel like it.
— John Cena (@JohnCena) March 3, 2025
As Cena came out on top, the arena erupted in cheers and the 16-time world champion secured his path to WrestleMania 41.
Then the drama really began.
Cody Rhodes entered to greet the victor and his eventual challenger, before The Rock stormed in to ask Rhodes if he was going to take the offer he'd made him.
Michael Cole says John Cena’s heel turn is probably the most shocking moment in WWE history pic.twitter.com/qcDqU9HC8k
— WrestlingWorldCC (@WrestlingWCC) March 4, 2025
Rhodes shook his head and rejected The Rock’s offer.
In response, The Rock smirked and backed away before sending a cryptic message to Cena,
Cena understood exactly what he was meant to do and struck from behind. The crowd gasped as Cena blindsided Rhodes and sent him crashing to the mat.
The final image of the night was Cena standing over Rhodes, leaving no doubt that his loyalties had shifted.
Header image: Alamy