WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, a central figure in Hulk Hogan’s legendary 1996 heel turn that gave birth to the New World Order (nWo), recently weighed in on John Cena’s shocking heel turn earlier this year—drawing key comparisons and distinctions between the two moments.
Speaking on his Kliq This podcast, Nash explained why Cena’s current run doesn’t carry the same long-term impact as Hogan’s did in WCW. According to Nash, the major difference is Cena’s heel persona is already tied to an announced farewell tour, giving it a definitive endpoint.
“Yeah. This Cena turn has an expiration date, so I think that changes a lot,” Nash said.
“He stands there and goes, ‘You have me for 27 more appearances and then it’s over with.’ It doesn’t have the same feel of, ‘I’m going to make your lives miserable forever.’”
Nash also highlighted the raw intensity of fan backlash Hogan received following his betrayal at Bash at the Beach 1996, noting that the crowd reaction was visceral and deeply personal.
“Nobody the next night was saying, ‘Come back Hulk,’” Nash recalled. “People were furious. They didn’t want him redeemed—they wanted him gone.”
While Cena’s recent heel turn has stunned fans and sparked conversation, Nash emphasized that the looming finality of Cena’s run changes the emotional stakes compared to Hogan’s career-altering transformation nearly three decades ago.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more wrestling news and analysis.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
