John Cena’s farewell tour in 2025 featured one of the most surprising storylines of his career when he made a rare heel turn. For the first time in more than twenty years, Cena portrayed a villain, something fans had long speculated about but never seen. In a recent interview, he opened up about the shift and how he views the character change.

The heel run started following Elimination Chamber, where Cena shockingly aligned with The Rock and began showing a ruthless and aggressive side. It quickly became one of the most discussed angles of the year, with many fans pointing out they had waited years for such a turn. The story wrapped up ahead of SummerSlam on SmackDown, when Cena reverted back to a babyface role.

During a WIRED Autocomplete Interview, Cena was asked, “What did John Cena do to turn heel?” Instead of giving a breakdown of the storyline, he took the opportunity to put his own spin on the idea.

“That’s a good question, because I believe I said on television that I’m not a babyface nor a heel, I’m a human being.”