John Cena’s shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber has sparked widespread discussion about his new villainous persona. Former WWE Superstar Mario Mancini recently outlined how he believes WWE should visually transform Cena to match his character change.
The 16-time World Champion secured his WrestleMania 41 title opportunity by winning the Men’s Elimination Chamber match in Toronto. Later that same night, Cena stunned the wrestling world by attacking Cody Rhodes and aligning himself with The Rock.
This dramatic shift comes during Cena’s final year as an active competitor, following his January announcement on Raw’s Netflix debut that 2024 would be his farewell tour.
Mancini shared his vision for Cena’s new heel appearance during a recent episode of the Power & Glory podcast. The veteran wrestler suggested a complete visual overhaul to complement the character change.
I’d put him in black trunks. I’d put him in black boots. You know, what’s his name though? What’s his name? See, John Cena is not enough. So, now we have to attach something to him. You know what I mean? We have to attach something to his name to repackage him. And I would put him in black. [Would you cut his hair again?] I’d shave it back down. It’d be black. You know, maybe some facial hair.
The 58-year-old wrestling veteran emphasized that Cena’s iconic look needs to be completely abandoned to establish his new villainous persona.
You know, I don’t know what he’s gonna do because I don’t know if Cena is still doing these morning shows or he’s on TV doing something. I don’t know. But he’s gotta be a totally different dude. You know, the sneakers and those whatever khaki things, I don’t know, that’s out the door. You’re gonna wanna put him, I don’t know, maybe put him in robe, you know something. Maybe give him a couple of chicks.
Cena’s trademark jorts, sneakers, and “Never Give Up” merchandise have defined his look throughout his babyface run spanning nearly two decades.
The unexpected heel turn marks Cena’s first villainous role since his early “Doctor of Thuganomics” character from the mid-2000s.
WWE has not yet revealed any appearance changes for Cena following his alignment with The Rock, though visual transformations typically accompany major character shifts.
Cena will challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41, scheduled for April 19-20 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The quest for his record-breaking 17th world championship appears to be the primary motivation behind Cena’s shocking betrayal of his longtime fans and principles.
This title match now takes on additional significance with Cena’s drastic character change and alliance with The Rock, creating one of WrestleMania’s most intriguing storylines.