It finally happened.
After over two decades of being a "good guy," or "babyface" in wrestling lingo, WWE Superstar and Hollywood actor John Cena turned "heel," or became the "bad guy."
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Cena is currently on his pro wrestling retirement tour. The 13-time WWE champion and former face of the company announced last year that 2025 would be his final year of actively performing in-ring.
It doesn't seem like any WWE fan assumed that the near-lifelong babyface would turn bad in his final year of wrestling. But he did last night, attacking his now-former friend Cody Rhodes.
The internet erupted with shock, excitement, and, of course, memes.
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At WWE Elimination Chamber on Saturday night, Cena had just won the six-man cage match to determine who would face WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania. Rhodes is the current face of the company and the top "good guy." Cena and Rhodes are supposedly friends. Rhodes came out at the end of the show to congratulate Cena on winning the match, signifying a friendly competitive matchup was in store at the main event of WrestleMania.
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However, The Rock, who is currently a bad guy in the WWE and has been feuding with Cody Rhodes, interrupted. Rhodes and The Rock exchanged words. And then Cena turned on Rhodes, attacking him multiple times while rapper and special guest Travis Scott and The Rock joined in on the beat down.
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Cena debuted for the WWE in 2002 where he briefly played the role of a rookie babyface. He had a short run as a heel with his rapping Thuganomics gimmick. However, aside from that, Cena has spent the past 20+ years as a fan favorite "good guy" with catchphrases such as "Never Give Up."
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John Cena has been especially beloved by children, who make up a large portion of his fan base. In fact, his popularity with the youth had been a major reason why WWE refused to turn him heel for the majority of his career. Cena actually holds the Guinness World Record for granting the most wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
And you better believe the internet had memes about how heel John Cena will likely affect his young fandom.
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There were also memes about Cena's now infamous announcement in 2011 after the end of a WWE pay-per-view informing the crowd of Osama bin Laden being "compromised to a permanent end."
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And memes referencing how John Cena follows nearly 1 million people on X.
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For longtime fans, Cena's heel turn seems quite analogous to Hulk Hogan's heel turn in the 90s. Hogan had spent over a decade playing the babyface role with his Hulkamania gimmick before finally turning heel in 1996 under his "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan persona. Interestingly, both The Rock and John Cena, who have now joined forces as heels, previously left WWE full-time to pursue successful acting careers in Hollywood.
After WWE Elimination Chamber went off the air, Cena appeared at the post-show press conference where he simply dropped the mic and left. So we'll have to wait to hear his explanation as to why he turned bad.
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But, be sure, when he does explain, the internet will have plenty to say about it.
