John Cena: "I've rarely said No to any sort of creative decision in WWE"

John Cena starred in one of the most talked-about and controversial retirement tours of all time. Some creative decisions by WWE turned out to be as shocking as they were questionable, such as his crushing defeat against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza and, of course, his heel turn. A topic for which "The Greatest of All Time" was asked about in a recent interview on The Rich Eisen Show.

"A lot of fans didn't like (my heel turn) and, honestly, when talking about it, when I did it, I tried to do it in the most realistic way possible. There were many different ways it could have gone, but I basically remained myself. I didn't change my attire. I didn't change my music. I started trying to find a real reason why I would choose a non-virtuous path, and my frustration with the audience after all these years of being such a polarizing character seemed like the strongest connection. And the audience got a taste of that. They said, 'No, we want the real you back'," Cena said.

Did he want to return to being a babyface when WWE decided it was time to end his heel turn?

"I always like new creative challenges and that's why, honestly, I think very few times - in fact, honestly, I don't remember ever saying no - have I refused a creative decision in WWE. I have always tried to accept it and do my best, even up to my last moment, when I surrendered with a satisfied expression on my face, something that also generated very divided opinions. I always enjoy a creative challenge. I'm not afraid to take those risks," he replied.

Cena hung up his boots last December, ending a career of over 25 years as a professional wrestler. He is currently focused on his acting career, but without neglecting WWE, a company for which he continues to serve as an ambassador. He recently announced the creation of a new event, the John Cena Classic, where a new championship will debut.