WWE once came so close to turning John Cena heel that he had gear made ready for the occasion.
Most wrestlers will spend time as both a face and a heel during their careers. Despite WWE turning a deaf ear to fans who asked for John Cena to get the heel turn treatment for years, even he was heel once. The thing is, that run happened before he became the big star that he would go on to be. Those aforementioned fans wanted to see big-time Cena as a heel, but it never happened, and at this point, it probably never will.
Turn Cena Heel
However, according to former WWE writer Matt McCarthy, Cena was closer to turning heel than fans likely realize. During the latest episode of We Watch Wrestling, McCarthy revealed that a Cena heel turn was discussed at length backstage. Vince McMahon even talked about it with Cena himself who responded by having special gear made for the occasion.
"Cena had gear made for the heel turn... I don’t know what the gear was, but he had specific gear made ready and waiting," McCarthy revealed. Probably something black, and maybe even like the nWo gear he wore during part of the Firefly Funhouse match at WrestleMania 36. The reason the turn never happened was due to McMahon and Cena not agreeing on how exactly it should be executed.
Full Heel Or No Heel
McMahon, not wanting to turn Cena full heel, was trying to figure out a way to make The Franchise Player liked in some places but hated in others. Similar to the dynamic Bret Hart had between Canada and the US towards the end of his WWE career. Cena, on the other hand, wanted there to be no grey area. It was full turn or nothing.
The idea was eventually scrapped since it was deemed the reaction Cena was receiving wouldn't change regardless of how WWE portrayed him. Fans who cheered him would keep on cheering, and fans who booed him would keep on booing. As for the gear, McCarthy believes Cena still has it to this day. Maybe we'll get to see it someday, but probably not as part of an on-screen heel turn.
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