John Cena has explained the reason for his recent turn back to a babyface, stating that the decision was a direct response to the WWE audience. Speaking at the post-show press conference for Clash in Paris, the 17-time World Champion said that while taking bold risks is important, ignoring the will of the fans is ultimately a “losing battle.”
The character shift marks a quick end to Cena’s first heel run in over two decades. The turn occurred at Elimination Chamber in February, where he aligned himself with The Rock. The run saw him capture his record-breaking 17th World Championship at WrestleMania 41, but as the year progressed, fan reactions began to shift back in his favor.
“Keep in mind, what we do is try to entertain the audience as best we can,” Cena said. “Sometimes, you can make bold and brave new moves, but going against this body of energy is a losing battle. So sometimes, you just gotta listen and pivot, change course.” He specifically referenced moments during matches against Randy Orton, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes where the crowd’s cheers for him became undeniable.
Cena also spoke about a recent opportunity in Brussels to apologize to a young fan he had insulted during his time as a heel. He said it was great to be able to say he was sorry for the hurtful things he had said, attributing his on-screen actions to “having a bad day, so to speak.”
His successful return as a babyface continued at Clash in Paris, where he defeated Logan Paul. The victory was part of his ongoing farewell tour, which now has just eight dates remaining. Cena’s retirement has been a central WWE storyline in 2025, with the 48-year-old citing the physical toll of his career as the main reason for stepping away. His final match is scheduled for December 13.