John Cena’s first WWE RAW appearance since his Elimination Chamber heel turn generated an explosive reaction from the Brussels crowd on March 17. According to Fightful Select, WWE executives were extremely pleased with the audience response to Cena’s new villainous character.
The Brussels fans greeted Cena with thunderous boos and loud “you sold out” chants before he could even begin speaking. The crowd immediately erupted into the familiar dueling chants of “let’s go Cena” versus “Cena sucks” that have followed him throughout his career.
Cena proceeded to address the WWE Universe directly, calling them “awful” and accusing them of “bullying him into being a puppet.” He further claimed the fans had “ruined his retirement tour,” cementing his new antagonistic persona.
The segment reached its peak when Cody Rhodes interrupted Cena’s tirade. Rhodes told Cena that fans had given him “their best for 25 years because they believed in him.”
When Cena attempted to respond, Rhodes cut him off with a stinging rebuke:
I want to wrestle the old Cena at WrestleMania 41, not this whiny b**.
Rhodes’ comment sent the crowd into another frenzy, forcing Cena to exit the ring in silence while fans serenaded him with “na na na na, hey hey, goodbye.”
WWE management has reportedly expressed significant satisfaction with how the entire segment unfolded. The strong reaction from fans, both positive and negative, has positioned Cena’s character change as a major talking point as WWE builds toward WrestleMania 41.