John Cena has vowed to “ruin wrestling” in his latest promo as a heel, as he builds towards a WrestleMania showdown with Cody Rhodes.
Cena, 47, has spent the majority of his career as a babyface (good guy), but at WWE’s Elimination Chamber event in February, he turned heel (became a villain) for the first time since the early 2000s.
The move was especially shocking as Cena is in his final year as a professional wrestler, and the majority of fans were finally cheering the historically divisive American in his early appearances in 2025. Since he turned heel, however, fans have bought into the storyline, widely booing Cena.
And that was the case in Glasgow on Monday (24 March), as Cena appeared on Raw to address fans for just the second time since turning heel.
“I am going to ruin wrestling,” Cena said. “I am going to ruin wrestling for every fan, every wrestler, for everyone. At WrestleMania, I make history by winning a 17th championship, and finally force you forget the name of the fun machine, jet-flying, ‘woo’, Ric Flair. You will forever say the name John Cena.”
Cena was referencing his character’s aim of breaking Flair’s record by winning a 17th world title. Cena will bid to do so when he challenges Undisputed WWE champion Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 – which takes place in Las Vegas on 19 and 20 April.
“But even worse, I am going to win that championship – the centre of every superstar in this entire business, of every fan in this building – and retire with it,” Cena continued. “I am taking it home with me, and leaving all of you to create a brand new ‘toy’ belt, because the real one comes home with me. I will be the last real champion in WWE.”
Cena was referring to fans’ past qualms with the ‘spinner’ WWE Championship, a belt he designed when he first became WWE champion in 2025. Many fans claimed the belt looked like a toy and was tacky.
Cena, who was subjected to “F*** you, Cena” and “Shut the f*** up” chants in Scotland, said: “The most important thing you ever told me was in April 2005. It was the day I gave you my greatest idea. I gave you the WWE spinner championship.
“Just like right now, you ate me alive. All you have to do is google ‘negative comments about the spinner belt’. You all told me loud and clear how stupid I was, because I changed your championship into a toy – and the championship is not a toy.
“The championship is a symbol of the centre of all this, and the toy belt I made for you disrespected tradition and disrespected your legacy. Listen closely, because that was the biggest mistake you ever made. In that one single moment, you were vulnerable enough to actually tell me what means the most to you in this life. And now that I know that, I am going to ruin wrestling.”
