John Cena a Heel?

I keep seeing a lot of people lately saying that John Cena has now gone heel because of what he did to Rusev a couple of RAW’s ago that will lead to a Wrestlemania match for the US Title. A lot of people are saying this new Cena is a horrible role model, these same people are saying the new patriotic Cena is a stupid new angle. So shall we look back at what happened in the mentioned RAW? During a backstage portion, John Cena talks to Rusev and he specifically states that he realizes he won’t get the match at wrestlemania but that he is tired of Rusev running down the US. He also straight up warns Rusev that if he dares to run down the US in his speeches again that night, that he would come out there and beat the snot out of him. So with Lana in the background saying “Rusev dear shut up…you really don’t want to do this” (yes I’m paraphrasing it) Rusev goes and just starts trashing the US as he talks.  Then the following happened

So does this make John Cena a heel? Where has this “Ruthless Aggression” come from? Well lets see he started with that on his WWE Debut…don’t believe me check it out! Starts about 2:15 in the video to prove my point.

So lets talk about some of these other points. John Cena doesn’t deserve a match against Rusev.  Why not? He has come the closest to breaking out of the Accolades yet of anyone who has gone against Rusev. He has stood toe to toe with Rusev inside and outside the ring better than anyone else. Cena is a 15 time World Champ, 2 time Tag Team champ, 3 time US Champ. This guys rap sheet with titles is as extensive as anyones and he could even beat Ric Flairs record of World Championships if the WWE allows him. So I think he has done his time and proved he can go after something as “prestigious” as the US title again.

“This new John Cena Patriot act is horrible.” New? Ummmm have you guys ever watched John Cena wrestle before? Do you not notice the dog tags around his neck? Did you not see how proud he was to play the Marine in the movies and how much he has done for our troops through the WWE? Have you never seen a picture like this with Cena and the Troops and them welcoming him like a brother? Do you not see him salute before every match sending a shout out in his own way to every person in the military before he goes to the ring every time he is on tv? Did you not see this Wrestlemania 26 entrance where the US Air Force was part of John Cena’s entrance? If not just check it out below (sorry for the crappy video but best I could find that wasn’t sped up).

So now that John Cena has stood up for his country in no unequivocal terms he is a Heel? You are now a bad guy for being a patriot? Get real! All that has happened here is that Cena has finally shown the backbone he used to have. Do you remember the Thug Life days when Cena used to stand up against everything almost like a member of DX would?  That made him the face of the WWE. Cena having attitude made him the face of the WWE. Cena going after the heels like he still does made him the face of the WWE. The only thing that has changed is that in the past 5 years instead of having him square off against Triple H and the Authority like he should be they have neutered his character to the point that people don’t recognize him now when he shows his backbone.

I see people saying he is heel now because he has not stepped up and helped his team mates. Do you mean those people he helped when they ousted the Authority? OK let’s see when the Authority got back into power which I will admit was Cena’s fault and his friends were fired what did Cena do? He kept going after The Authority again and again until he won his friends jobs back. So how is this not sticking up for his teammates? Also for a look at Cena’s character why did he bring back the authority anyway? Shall we have a look?

Oh look Cena brought back the Authority because he was protecting the life of someone he doesn’t even like that much, someone who was a HUGE rival of his but that he respects.

This brings me to the other thing I keep seeing now which is people saying “And this is supposed to be a role model for my children?” Well let’s see if you don’t want someone like Cena to be a role model then why do you let your kids watch wrestling in the first place? If they are too young to recognize how he is now so obviously a heel even when you tell them how it works then perhaps they are too young to be watching. Yes that was sarcasm there. Personally, I would love for my son to look up to John Cena. Here is a man who has been very successful in his chosen career, here is a man who has given so much to so many children by becoming one of the leading Make-A-Wish givers ever. John Cena is always at the forefront of the Tribute to the Troop things; he also seems to be the one who keeps spearheading the Breast Cancer Awareness month things with the Susan B Komen group. So we have here a person who is a patriot, and who doesn’t give in to bullying, who helps charities and brings joy to children everywhere. Yeah I can see why you don’t want him to be looked up to (sorry bout that sarcasm there sometimes I can’t help it.)

Another thing I have seen that I want to address is that Cena used “bullying tactics” to get his title match at Wrestlemania when he went and put Rusev in the submission hold and wouldn’t let go. So did Cena say that he would beat Rusev up if he didn’t get a Wrestlemania match? Nope don’t remember that. Did Cena tell Lana that he wouldn’t release the hold until he got a match? Nope don’t remember hearing that either. In fact I remember Cena saying that he would come out and take down Rusev if he continued to trash talk america, he did and so Cena held up what he had said. The match was all Lana trying to get Cena to let go. In fact if you notice when he did let go he looked surprised for a second or two before he got that satisfied smirk and why not smirk like that? He just got a title match, he just made Rusev tap and pass out, I think he deserves a bit of a self satisfied smirk.

So is Cena a heel now? I think we can say the answer is a resounding, Hell No. To think this guy is a heel now just because he showed some backbone is the height of folly and dare I say it perhaps even stupidity.

But I want to know what you think, is Cena now a heel?

Photos Courtesy of

The Marine: wikipedia.org

Salute: wrestlingsuperstore.com