WWE’s trip to Brussels, Belgium for Monday Night RAW was a historic one for many reasons, one of those being the first heel promo from John Cena in over twenty years. After Cena’s shocking heel turn back at the 2025 Elimination Chamber premium live event, fans have been waiting in eager anticipation to hear the justification straight from Cena’s mouth, explaining why he finally gave in and ‘sold out’, instead of remaining loyal and true to the fans, and adhering to his mindset of Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect. Cena’s promo was a wild ride, but it must be admitted that he told zero lies when talking about why he did what he did. Let’s check out why.
John Cena Claimed To Be In An Abusive Relationship
John Cena Said He Was Breaking Up With The Fans
- Cena stated that the audience treated him terribly for 20 years.
- WWE fans often booed John Cena for years when he was a babyface.
- From a human perspective, it is easy to see Cena’s mindset.
John Cena said a lot during his first promo as a newly turned heel, but one of the key points he made was that his relationship with the fans was an abusive one. This is nothing but true, inside and out of kayfabe. Cena’s initial babyface turn was met with initial support, but the audience very quickly turned on him when it became clear that he was the handpicked face of WWE. He was believed to be “forced down throats” of fans, and that he “couldn’t wrestle”, in addition to fans being tired of his superman style of booking. Cena would sometimes change things up, gaining some newfound support, before fans showered him in chants of “Cena Sucks” once again.
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It wasn’t until Cena finally decided to take things to a part-time schedule that the tide began to turn on his popularity. Fans finally realized what they had, and he gained more and more cheers the older he got. It is easy to see why Cena, after all these years of receiving abuse and hate, doesn’t appreciate the cheers and respect, seen as it doesn’t feel genuine. The era he was giving his all to the company was met with scorn, whereas the time he spent not giving as much was handed cheap cheers. The whole “abusive relationship” standpoint is well-founded, as the fans have taken Cena through emotional turmoil more than once.
The Raw Audience Proved John Cena’s Point
The Crowd Responded, And John Cena Was Even More Justified
- The WWE audience found no issue turning on Cena once again.
- They booed when he tried to speak and cheered when he spoke about retirement.
- John Cena called the WWE fans out, and rightfully so.
The WWE audience in Brussels showered Cena in a wall of boos and dueling chants of “Let’s Go Cena, Cena Sucks”, reminding fans of his prime when the audience went to battle with one another. As Cena stood in the ring, they gave him a huge negative reaction, something that no doubt reminded Cena of the hatred he received during his time trying to be the ultimate good guy, and this likely justified in his own mind the decision to turn his back on the fans. As Cena spoke, speaking his truth about how he felt, the fans were unsavory in their language in telling Cena to shut up, something he claimed proved everything he was saying to be true.
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Whenever Cena tried to speak, they booed him, and when he spoke about his retirement, they cheered the fact that he was leaving. This proved his entire point, that the audience was fickle and didn’t really ever love him, only being happy when he isn’t there. The audience’s response made this promo even more special, and it cemented his heel turn as something that wasn’t just done for a cheap reaction or without real reason – they instead played their role to perfection.
John Cena Refused To Give The Fans What They Wanted
John Cena Didn’t Change His Music Or Appearance
- WWE fans have wanted a new version of John Cena.
- Cena refused to appease the audience by granting their wishes for his character.
- His promo was excellent, and it set the stage for his heel run.
A lot of online buzz and talk about Cena’s heel turn has included the prospect of a new-look Cena with brand new heel music and a cooler presentation. Cena acknowledged this, but stated that he was not going to give in to what the fans wanted any longer, refusing to change anything. He wanted to wear his attire because it was his, and the music that features his voice, and he is keeping everything that belonged to him from the fans who “take, and take, and take”. This makes complete sense in the context of his promo and the direction of his explanation.
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Cena’s promo on RAW proved a lot of things, but another was the fact that this was a great decision by WWE and Cena, with him easing into the bad guy role with absolute ease. Heel turns are always best when the bad guy doesn’t believe themselves to be bad, which is why the likes of Drew McIntyre are so captivating to watch. Cena fits into this category, and in truth, he is absolutely justified in feeling the way he does after the turbulent career he has had, and his wild relationship with the WWE fans, abusive or not.
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