At the post-show following WWE Clash in Paris, John Cena opened up about his recent character shift back to a babyface role, explaining that the decision came from listening to the audience and recognizing when it was time to pivot.
“The John Cena we know and love. Keep in mind, what we do is try to entertain the audience as best we can. Sometimes, that involves taking risks and being bold. You also have to listen to the audience,” Cena said.
He pointed to recent crowd reactions in his major matches as a turning point, “It got to a point where, Cena vs. Randy (Orton), you start hearing [cheers]. Cena vs. (CM) Punk in Saudi, you start hearing the noise. Cena-Cody (Rhodes) WrestleMania, Cena-Cody SummerSlam, it changes. Sometimes, you can make bold and brave new moves, but going against this body of energy is a losing battle. Sometimes, you just gotta listen and pivot, change course.”
Cena reflected on the opportunity to reconnect with longtime fans, especially during the international tour stops. He even addressed a past moment that had weighed on him, “It is quite nice to stand in the middle of the ring and say hi to familiar faces. Some of the people overseas, I’ve been seeing for years, it’s the same fans. Be able to say goodbye to them. To be able to apologize to [Brussels kid]. To be able to say sorry because I said hurtful things. I was having a bad day, so to speak.”
Cena emphasized that nothing in his career happens by accident, and he’s determined to make the most of his final matches. “I think we’ll reflect on this a whole lot more in January. To let this sink in is pretty cool, but nothing is a mistake. I love the announcements we do before the match. I love the black and white that splashes into color. Nothing is a mistake. It’s something that happens and we move forward. We have eight left and I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I’m going to give it all I got.”
