ECW legend Tommy Dreamer recently weighed in on the evolving heel persona of John Cena, offering a critical assessment of the Undisputed WWE Champion’s current run during a discussion on Busted Open Radio. Dreamer reflected on Cena’s match against CM Punk at WWE Night of Champions, as well as the broader challenges of being a villain in modern pro wrestling.
While Dreamer praised the storytelling and drama in Cena’s clash with Punk, he pointed out that the fans’ reactions may not be what WWE envisioned.
“I still don’t think the heel turn has worked because they just cheer for him,” Dreamer said. “But it does work for… it has given him different opponents. He is going out there and doing his best, and it’s you, the fan that continues to cheer for him.”
Dreamer argued that in today’s media landscape, truly committing to being a heel is much harder for a mainstream star like Cena.
“Here’s a difference, the thing that John can’t do that I would do… Like I would stop doing the things that I do,” Dreamer explained. “If somebody approached me in a grocery store, I would heel them. I would go 100% all in on social media… I probably would quit this show, because why would I want to talk to people?… I couldn’t say, ‘John Cena, stop doing all these commercials.’… His social media is still uplifting. I don’t think he can do that.”
He also compared Cena’s current situation to the commitment of past legends like “Macho Man” Randy Savage, who remained in character at all times—even on major talk shows.
“I grew up in the era of Arsenio Hall, when it was the hottest show on television, and here came Randy Savage in full gimmick… whether he was a heel or babyface, he still was being 100% the Macho Man.”
The segment also included post-Night of Champions remarks from Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who revealed the gravity of the moment for both Cena and Punk heading into the main event.
“The level of energy, the level of excitement, the level of nervousness. I’ve never seen either of them in that position before,” Triple H said. “There was just something different about today.”
Following his controversial win over Punk—thanks to interference from Seth Rollins and others—John Cena is now set to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. Rhodes earned his title shot by winning the 2025 King of the Ring tournament earlier that night.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
