Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff React to John Cena’s Heel Turn—Say It Couldn’t Touch nWo’s Shock Factor

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff know a thing or two about heel turns—and they’re not holding back when it comes to John Cena’s recent shift in character.

During an interview with Forbes‘ Alfred Konuwa, the Real American Freestyle founders were asked how Cena’s recent heel turn compares to Hogan’s legendary turn at Bash at the Beach 1996, which sparked the formation of the nWo and changed the wrestling business forever.

Bischoff, who masterminded that storyline alongside Hogan, was quick to break down why he doesn’t think the Cena moment reached the same level.

“I respect the hell out of John Cena. He’s a good man and I consider him a friend,” Bischoff began. “But Cena’s heel turn was spontaneous. There were rumors and people speculated, but it wasn’t part of a storyline that was being built up with suspense. There wasn’t that same anticipation or payoff.”

He continued, “With Hogan, we had weeks of teasing, and people didn’t know who the third man was. When Hulk dropped that leg, it was a moment that exploded because it had a build and a story behind it.”

Hogan didn’t disagree—though he did start off with a compliment. “First off, John Cena was my favorite wrestler. Let me start there,” he said. “I grinded for years, brother. There was no Rock, no Stone Cold—just me. John stepped up and ran with it. He saw more Make-A-Wish kids than anybody, and he carried the company.”

But when Cena turned heel? Hogan expected something bigger. “When The Rock did the throat cut and Cena turned, I expected more of a rollout. I expected more momentum. But then Cena just came out solo and I got disconnected. It didn’t feel like that tidal wave coming at you,” he said.

Then Hogan got blunt: “When the nWo took over, man, we cleaned house. We beat everybody’s ass. All the babyfaces were crying and complaining. That’s how powerful that story was. It just kept getting more evil and more intense. Cena’s moment? It didn’t carry that same energy.”

While both Hogan and Bischoff praised Cena’s impact and importance, they made it clear they see the nWo heel turn as a benchmark that still hasn’t been touched.