Former WWE creative writer Kevin Eck recently appeared on The Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast to talk about his time in WWE. One of the big talking points from the interview was when Eck told Keller about Vince McMahon agreeing to turn John Cena heel before eventually changing his mind due to the fact Cena had a clothing deal with KMart.

“Vince had agreed to do it, but then he changed his mind and said that we can’t do it.This was back around the time when McMahon was really looking at Sheamus to get his push. The question was if we turn John Cena heel then who is he going to work with, who will be the top babyface? John CenaThat was the feeling back then, then we came up with some scenarios, and believe it or not, Cena was on board with it, but right around that time there was a big clothing line for John Cena at K-Mart, and Vince McMahon was like, ‘Oh Jesus Christ, he has a deal with KMart, and now we’re going to turn him heel?’ So, KMart is to blame for Cena not turning heel. During a meeting once Vince had a huge smile on his face, and he tells everyone that I know you’ve wanted John Cena as a heel for a long time, but we just can’t turn him heel and that was the end of that.”