Eric Bischoff has seen plenty of shocking character shifts in wrestling, but even he wasnt expecting John Cenas heel turn to go down the way it did.
On his 83 Weeks podcast, the former WCW executive broke down how he wouldve handled this new version of Cenaand lets just say, its not what WWE went with.
What could be the most different narrative and tone that this version of John Cena has? Bischoff asked. Id lean into less is more, at least initially. Id weigh in heavily on kind of mysterious. Dont be definitive. Dont come out and tell me week one why. Youve already left me hanging. Youve kind of planted that hook. Leave it in as long as you can.
Instead, Cena went all in on RAW. His promo was anything but mysterioushe was whiny, abrasive, and shifted blame onto everyone but himself. The crowd torched him with boos and you sold out chants, leading Cody Rhodes to storm out and demand the return of the old Cena.
This marks the first time Cena has been a villain in over 20 years, and hes not doing it alone. Hes aligned with The Rock, creating a dangerous combination of past grudges and future dominance. Meanwhile, Rhodes is preparing for the biggest challenge of his career as he defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cena at WrestleMania 41. With The Rock in Cenas corner and Rhodes allies tangled up in their own battles, the big question iswill Cody be walking into a two-on-one fight?
Should WWE have gone with Bischoffs slow-burn approach, or was Cenas immediate breakdown the right move? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
