WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and gave his stamp of approval to John Cena’s much-talked-about heel turn — a bold creative shift that has shocked the WWE Universe ahead of WrestleMania 41.
Austin, who himself experienced a controversial and short-lived heel run in 2001, reflected on the significance of Cena’s character transformation and why it feels right this time around.
“John has had a hell of a damn run. For me to be inside the business as long as I was, I didn’t have the longest career in the world, but to see what John’s doing and where he’s going right now, to me, I love it because he just means so much to all of these people here.”
Austin noted that whether fans boo or cheer Cena, his new villainous persona has injected something fresh into WWE storytelling.
“Whether you boo him or you cheer him, to see him as a heel is a breath of fresh air for me. I tried to turn heel. That was something that didn’t need to happen. We tried to force that, and it didn’t fit. I think the way John did it, I think it fits.”
Cena aligned with The Rock and Travis Scott at Elimination Chamber 2025, attacking Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, setting the stage for their WrestleMania 41 main event this Sunday. With legends like Austin backing the creative move, Cena’s heel run may be one of the most compelling character turns of his storied career.
