John Cena Reveals Stephanie McMahon’s Influence on His Heel Transformation

John Cena’s heel turn at WWE Elimination Chamber shocked the entire wrestling world — and now he’s giving credit where it’s due. For the first time in over 20 years, the face of hustle, loyalty, and respect sold his soul to The Rock and embraced his darker side. But he didn’t get there alone.

In a recent appearance on Stephanie’s Places, Cena reflected on the early days of his career when he was trying to find his footing as a villain. During the conversation with Stephanie McMahon herself, Cena revealed how instrumental she was in helping him craft the heel persona fans would eventually fear — and now remember.

“Can I just say I had some really good people to learn from. You are on a very short list of names that falls into. I flat out steal a lot from you. So, thanks for helping me through this,” said Cena.

The reigning Undisputed WWE Champion is currently in the final stretch of his in-ring career, with his retirement tour set to wrap up this December. With every promo and appearance, Cena’s evolution into a full-fledged heel continues to surprise fans who never thought they’d see the day.

Cena turning heel may have flipped his iconic image upside down, but it’s clear that years of learning from top-tier villains like Stephanie McMahon helped pave the way.