John Cena’s dramatic heel turn at WrestleMania 41 had fans buzzing, but just a few months later, the 17-time world champion is once again flashing that trademark smile. Now we’re learning more about why WWE scrapped his villainous persona—and what it means for his final run.
On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez broke down the decision to pivot Cena back to a babyface. According to Meltzer, WWE “dropped [the heel story] because it sucked,” but also because a feud with Brock Lesnar—now in motion—makes far more sense with Cena as the fan favorite and Lesnar playing the monster heel. Alvarez added that Cena simply performs better in the ring and connects more naturally with the audience when he’s playing the hero.
Cena’s return to the light officially happened on SmackDown, when he cut a passionate promo alongside Cody Rhodes, setting the tone for a more heartfelt run. That momentum carried into SummerSlam 2025, where Cena came up short against Rhodes in a hard-fought battle for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The real shocker came moments later, when Brock Lesnar made a surprise return and dropped Cena with a brutal F5—immediately launching what’s expected to be Cena’s final major rivalry.
During the post-show press conference, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque revealed that Lesnar’s comeback wasn’t just a creative decision—it was personally requested by Cena. As part of his retirement tour, Cena reportedly gave Levesque a list of opponents he wants to face one last time, and Lesnar was at the top.
“This is Cena writing his final chapter,” Levesque said. “We’re just helping him tell the story the way he wants to.”
With Cena’s farewell tour in full swing and a marquee clash with Lesnar looming, WWE fans can expect more high-profile moments as the company gives one of its all-time greats a send-off worthy of his legacy.
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