John Cena's Shocking WWE Heel Turn 'Bigger Than Wrestling Angle,' Hulk Hogan Says

John Cena’s shocking heel turn at WWE’s Elimination Chamber has left the world of pro wrestling buzzing—and honestly, the entire sports entertainment industry feels like it’s been flipped on its head. This wasn’t just another dramatic plot twist; it was a seismic event even the likes of Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe couldn’t ignore on ESPN. Heck, Jon Stewart even gave it a nod on "The Daily Show." When was the last time wrestling got this much mainstream chatter?

For years, fans thought Cena would remain the eternal good guy, steadfast in his role as the face of WWE. But Saturday proved us all wrong. Cena’s dramatic turn from being the crowd’s hero to essentially spitting on the legacy he built is something no one saw coming—not even in their wildest pro wrestling dreams.

The comparisons to Hulk Hogan’s infamous heel turn in 1996 at Bash at the Beach were inevitable. Hogan’s alignment with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall to form the New World Order (NWO) shocked fans back then, and now, Cena’s pivot seems to be having the same cultural impact. Hulk Hogan himself weighed in during an interview with Justin Barrasso for his Substack "Undisputed," calling it "one of the best heel turns I’ve seen in a long, long time." High praise from someone who literally wrote the book on shocking wrestling betrayals.

Hogan didn’t stop there. He highlighted the involvement of major players like The Rock and called Cena’s shift "bigger than a wrestling angle." According to Hogan, Cena has completely abandoned his once squeaky-clean image. No more handshakes or baby-kissing for this guy—it’s all about the dark side now.

For context, Hogan’s own heel turn came at a time when his "Say your prayers and eat your vitamins" gimmick had grown stale. Fans couldn’t believe it when Hogan turned on WCW and aligned with Nash and Hall, who had just defected from WWE (then WWF). That move kickstarted NWO’s dominance, leading WCW to an 83-week winning streak over WWE in the ratings. Iconic stuff.

Cena, on the other hand, started his career in WWE’s "Ruthless Aggression" era, eventually becoming a fan favorite with his rapper persona, freestyle disses, and a knack for electrifying the crowd. Over the years, he’s racked up an impressive 13 WWE Championship titles and three World Heavyweight Championship wins. Oh, and let’s not forget he holds the record for most Make-a-Wish Foundation wishes granted. Talk about a legacy.

But even heroes have their breaking points. Cena’s farewell tour, which began last summer after his retirement announcement, was supposed to be a triumphant swan song. Instead, it’s turned into a masterclass in storytelling. After narrowly missing out on a Royal Rumble win and controversially inserting himself into the Elimination Chamber match, Cena hinted at a darker path. Aligning with The Rock only solidified the shift, and now he’s firmly on the other side of the aisle.

What’s next for Cena? His final run in WWE promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats, with no shortage of drama, betrayals, and headline-grabbing moments. One thing’s for sure: this storyline is going to dominate the wrestling world for the rest of the year—and probably beyond.