John Cena's father blames The Rock for ruining his son's retirement tour

In March 2025, John Cena surprised the WWE universe by turning heel for the first time in over two decades. The twist caught everyone off guard, but soon the criticisms came: many fans felt that what followed didn't live up to expectations.

The switch of sides began with an alliance alongside The Rock, although the "Final Boss" quickly disappeared from WWE programming. On the show UnSKripted, John Cena Sr. offered his perspective on his son's last year in the ring. "I think what he has done is right, it's good, it's positive... Turning John Cena heel was a great idea. The element of surprise was great."

Although he applauded the initial decision, Cena Sr. agreed with fans that the story's development was disappointing. According to his words, the plan was a huge risk and was poorly managed. He also pointed out The Rock's absence as the biggest blow to the plot, which ended up losing its meaning without the presence of one of its key protagonists.

The story (after the turn) was destroyed. In my opinion, it was a very poor move because it was a big gamble for everyone involved.

Finally, John Cena abandoned his villain role before SummerSlam 2025 and returned to the babyface role that defined most of his career. With just a few more appearances before his definitive retirement, everything points to him closing his legendary time in the ring with the image of the hero beloved by fans, even though his father believes the heel turn could have become something much bigger.

The case highlights a common problem in WWE: risky turns that generate great initial excitement but, without solid planning, end up dissipating. In this sense, Cena's story can serve as a lesson for future creative moves by the company.