John Cena’s shocking heel turn at WWE Elimination Chamber 2025 was meant to set up a massive twist amidst his farewell tour, but the decision was eventually reversed due to fans not going along with his heel persona and the booking around the angle. Today, his brief run as a heel is often criticized, but the man on the receiving end of his post-heel turn beatdown – Cody Rhodes – has an interesting opinion on the run.
“We’re at this point now, where the longer that it goes for me, the less I am able to turn to this nefarious, demon, bad guy,” Rhodes noted during an interview on “ALL THE SMOKE.” “We actually saw this with John Cena recently. I admired him taking the challenge and loved him going for the idea of being a bad guy in the end, but you’ve got decades of equity built with [the audience].” Rhodes added that fans might not have agreed with Cena, but were ultimately loyal to him regardless.
“Today it’s easier to be a heel, I suppose,” Rhodes added, recalling how traditional heels needed to read the crowd and lead matches. “Whereas in 2025, now, and in the last five years or so? Babyfaces were essentially an endangered species.” Rhodes noted that being a babyface hasn’t been cool since the 80s, but opined that being a babyface today is about being authentic instead of heroic. “When they see me, they are 100% sure that is authentically who I am.”
‘He has given everything, as far as you can possibly give, body-wise and mind-wise, to the industry’
Looking back at his matches against John Cena this year, Cody Rhodes expressed how blessed he was to be able to step into the ring with his idol and explained that he couldn’t just focus on that mid-match, but push Cena hard in respect of his farewell tour. “He has given everything, as far as you can possibly give, body-wise and mind-wise, to the industry,” Rhodes noted about Cena.
Additionally, he praised the legend for his work in the film industry, noting that Cena has always been in the business of selling a story or experience. “You hear these stories of him going on set all over town, here, and being the most professional guy you’d ever met. The most prepared guy you’d ever met. I think John has tons of natural talent,” Rhodes expressed. “He had tons of talent for being a professional wrestler, but the thing he’ll be remember for is the work – is the work ethic he had.”
“To wrestle a person who gave me his playbook, who was the model for how I like to be as a babyface professional wrestler, … how I would work seven days a week, the rhythm of wrestling and going to every town, to be able to stand across from a guy who was your mentor, … it’s really rare you can stand across from that guy, look him in the eye, and not just be grateful and thankful, but also hope he sees you and go ‘Ah, there he is,'” Rhodes stated, going into depth about just how deep his respect is for Cena.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “ALL THE SMOKE” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.