WWE United States Champion Logan Paul recently weighed in on John Cena’s much-talked-about heel turn, praising the WWE legend for finally embracing his darker side and labeling it a “power move.”
Speaking on his IMPAULSIVE podcast, Paul didn’t hold back in celebrating Cena’s shift in persona.
“I think John finally realized it’s just better on this side of the fence. The grass is much greener on the side of the heel,” Paul said. “Normally it’s not. They say the grass isn’t greener. In this case, it is because I’ll tell you why. You could be real. You can say what you want to say. You’re not worried about always being liked or selling tickets or getting your merchandise or hitting the bottom line.”
Paul continued, “Even if your boss has come to you with notes and you’re like, ‘Yo, do this,’ you’re like, ‘Bro, I’m gonna do whatever the f*** I want, and enjoy the f***ing show.’ And that’s the wave I think John is on right now, and I love it.”
He then tied the discussion back to his own polarizing presence in WWE.
“I’m just gonna say this. They don’t actually hate you, bro. It’s forced hatred. You’re in your seats, ‘F*** you Logan,’ but deep down, eventually I know the cheers will be, ‘Thank you Logan,’ like they are for John.”
Paul elaborated on the blurred lines between love and hate in pro wrestling fan reactions:
“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. And if they’re silent, that’s the problem. If you are capable of hating someone, of disliking someone to a degree where you’re really, really forcing yourself to say, ‘F*** you’ or whatever it is, you’re this close to loving them. All they have to do is flip that switch.”
He cited Dominik Mysterio as another example of a superstar flipping the crowd dynamic:
“John did it. Dominik might be doing it soon. We see it with Dom, right? Biggest heel ever. Couldn’t get a fing word out and now champion, he’s turning the corner a little bit, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh, Dom’s awesome.’ Yeah, I’ve been saying he’s fing sick.”
Paul concluded with high praise for Cena’s ability to manipulate crowd energy:
“Whether you’re a heel or a babyface, if you are getting the crowd to react, you are sick. John Cena is getting some of the biggest reactions he’s ever had. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s puppeteering the crowd… You are an instrument in John Cena’s orchestra, and I’m here for all of it.”
