WWE executive Bruce Prichard has discussed John Cena’s run in the company and claims Cena was “always looking to turn heel.”
John Cena’s character took off on SmackDown in late 2002 when he began donning basketball shirts and rapping each week. Within a year Cena was a favourite of WWE crowds and he was launched into the stratosphere as a hero when he won his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21 in 2005.
It didn’t take too long after that for the polarising reactions that John Cena has come to be remembered for to rear their head. Despite the boos and “Cena sucks” chants, Cena never turned heel again and continued to portray a – sometimes unwanted – hero in the company.
Speaking on a Q and A courtesy of AdFreeShows, Bruce Prichard was asked about Unforgiven 2006 and if the rumours from the time were true that John Cena wanted to turn heel after that event back on the blue brand of WWE:
“Look, John is probably one of the most unselfish guys that I’ve ever met, and I can definitely see him, you know, his whole thing was how to get other people over. I don’t know about that instance particularly, but I know that John was always looking to turn heel, yes.”