In the most shocking turn of events since WCW’s 1996Bash at the Beach,John Cena fulfilled his destiny as foretold by Bray Wyattand lived long enough tosee himself become the villainfor the first time in hisWWEcareer. Cena, on his retirement tour and lost in a shocking upset to Jey Uso at February’sRoyal Rumble, which seemingly dashed his chances at his 17th world championship,turned heel by attacking Cody Rhodesafter his win atElimination Chamber, aligning himself with The Rock and ending a babyface run that began in 2003.
A turn that some saw coming far in the distance but no less shocking, Cena’s alignment with The Rock as Rock’s Champion echoes back to the days of the Attitude Era, with those in power angling to maintain it by any means necessary while crafting a vision for WWE in their mold. With Rhodes defiantly turning his back on Rock, and Cena stepping in his place,theJohn Cena retirement tourjust took an unexpected but incredible new directionand set the table for multiple new avenues to tell this story, including Cena’s redemption.
A Breakdown of the Most Shocking Moment in Recent WWE History
Themen’s Elimination Chamber matchcame down to John Cena, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk, and after Rollins took a “GTS” from Punk, followed by an “Attitude Adjustment” by Cena, Punk pinned Rollins to leave him and Cena. A great segment took place, with Cena and Punk executing a series of moves as flawlessly as they did in 2012, followed by a “Stomp” from a disgruntled Rollins to Punk, which Cena viciously took advantage of andsubmitted Punk to punch his ticket toWrestleMania 41.
Cody Rhodes appeared in the ring to congratulate Cena, setting the stage for the main event in Las Vegas, and also to answer The Rock’s question whether he’d sell his soul to him as his Champion. Flanked by rapper Travis Scott, Rock entered the ring and was told, quite explicitly by Rhodes, that he was not going to sell his soul to him, and as Cena, seemingly celebrating Rhodes' decision, dapped up the American Nightmare and pulled him in for a hug,Rock gave the throat-cutting gesture to Cena, who in turn kicked Rhodes with a low blow.
It was a moment that surprised even the most fervent anti-Cena fans, who did not expecta heel turn this late in his career, let alone on his retirement tour,and was underscored by a level of violence not seen by Cena before.As he took the Rolex watch from Rhodes and punched him with it, filling his face with blood, Rock took his time whipping Rhodes with his weight belt, adorned with the words “Cody’s Soul” as well as the date of the death of his father, Dusty Rhodes.
Cena Follows Rock’s Footsteps as Corporate Champion
We’ve Seen This Story Before
John Cena, now apparently Rock’s Champion, is now following in the footsteps of Rock himself when,in 1998, he became Vince McMahon’s Corporate Champion, aligning himself with The Corporation as the preferred face of WWE.Rock, who was 1B to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s 1A at the time in terms of the company’s star, was seen as a more worthy champion and face of the company, polished and pristine, as opposed to Austin, the beer slinging, finger throwing, outlaw that McMahon despised.
The story of Rhodes, Rock, and Cena is based primarily on this angle but leans heavier into the idea of either Rhodes or Cena “getting the world” from Rock, the Final Boss and part of the TKO Board, and running back the authority angle that catapulted Rock and Austin to the top of the wrestling world. Cena, obsessed with his 17th championship run, and as Bray Wyatt foretold, his spotlight, is nowtaking his destiny into his own hands by aligning with the authority- The Final Boss - to get what’s rightfully his and, ultimately, what he says is “best for business,” much like McMahon promised Rock in 1998.
Rhodes was clearly never going to sell out the WWE Universe for another shot at mass appeal and great fortune, as he already sits on top of the WWE mountain, but this is a place that Cena has not been in many years,and his time is running out to get back there.Afterbeing eliminated by Jey Uso at theRoyal Rumble, Cena saw the writing on the wall and leaned into a place he’d never gone before: winning by any means necessary. This completely changes the landscape of his retirement tour. Rather than a series of modern classic with historic opponents and new rising talents, we will now witness something much better: a great story being told about a man’s fall from grace and his climb back to the light.
Can John Cena Be Redeemed?
Everyone Loves a Comeback Story
There’s no better story in wrestling than one of redemption,finding your way back to the place that made you who you are, and it’s likely that Cena finishes WrestleMania Season as a heel, butends his retirement tour as a babyface once again. John Cena has his sights firmly set onWrestleMania 41and his match against Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, as a vicious heel obsessed with his 17th championship win, but that’s not to say that Cena stays a heel forever.
Cena still has plenty of miles left, and plenty of stories left to tell, on this retirement tour, and when the spotlight and opportunity cloud your judgment,it takes one big break in that cloudiness to snap someone back to realityand realize the evil ways they’ve been partaking in. If Cena does win the big 17th championship and surpasses Ric Flair’s record, Cena has no other mountain to climb and will march on as The Rock’s Corporate Champion, directionless except with the only goal of dominating the spotlight once again.
This could open the door for many months of great storytelling, as the unholy Hollywood alliance of Rock and Cena dominates the WWE landscape, but who is going to stand against them? Cena’s looming retirement means we will still get some great matches that never happened before, and some fresh talent will get the “rub” from Big Match John, but the final opponent should behis greatest in-ring partner, CM Punk. No one is better than Punk, the anti-corporate guy by definition, to show him that the path he took was the wrong one and that selling your soul for mass appeal isn’t as grand as it appears to be.
This could come to fruition anywhere between this year’sSummerSlamandSurvivor Series, depending on how long Cena will be a heel. Perhaps, Cena and Punk’s story will cross with Rhodes and Rock’s, and it will culminate in a tag team match or a double main event type of deal. Regardless, it’s clear that the retirement tour will become a redemption tour. John Cena may be lost at the moment in his quest for 17, and has taken a path not yet taken before in his career, but “The Corruption ofJohn Cena” is only the first page in another great piece ofWWEstorytelling.
