Memes take over as WWE shares kids' live reactions to John Cena’s shocking heel turn

On March 8, 2025, WWE shared live reactions of children witnessing John Cena’s shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber. Cena's surprising betrayal reverberated throughout the WWE universe, with die-hard fans finally seeing the heel turn they had waited decades to unfold.

Whereas children were devastated, their parents—many of whom had spent their entire lives growing up with Cena as the definition of babyface—were reveling.

Social media blew up with posts, with some fans posting how their children were devastated and others joking they'd waited 20 years for this moment.

The memes rolled in as fans likened the shocked expressions of today's children to their own childhood heartbreak when Hulk Hogan went heel with the NWO.

Others jokingly offered that Cena had been suppressing his villain arc so long that it had to come out in the most dramatic form possible—betraying Cody Rhodes and aligning with The Rock.

One user perfectly summed up the moment by posting the famous Martin Scorsese's 'Absolute Cinema' meme.

Another fan captured the sheer magnitude of the moment by sharing an image that read:

"Masterpiece. I don't have too many words."

Fans had a field day with the reactions, with one user (@sicksuzuki) joking:

"The parents only sad cause they know it’s time to buy Cody merch and repaint the Cena-themed bedroom."

Another user humorously shared an image of John Cena wearing a t-shirt that read "Give Up," a play on his iconic "Never Give Up" slogan.

A user (@realgraps10) went on to mention:

"Was epic to witness for adults. One of my nephews started crying though."

A user (@Krisiku) opined:

"Whole generation of kids will never be the same."

Sharing an evil but funny laugh, a user said:

"My reaction when seeing this..😏😏"

Meanwhile, this user shared a Patrick Star GIF to laugh it all off:

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The heel turn at Elimination Chamber

Having won his title shot against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, the fans were hoping for a traditional face-versus-face battle. What they received instead was the ultimate betrayal of a lifetime.

Cena, the self-proclaimed good guy for over two decades, blindsided Rhodes and stood alongside The Rock, making history as he officially turned heel for the first time in his storied career.

The jaw-dropping turn gave Cena a Guinness World Record for the "longest WWE face run before turning heel."

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Behind-the-scenes planning

WWE had originally planned on John Cena's jaw-dropping heel turn happening at WrestleMania 41, mirroring "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's notorious 2001 betrayal.

In a last-minute change of plans, WWE went ahead and pulled the trigger at Elimination Chamber instead.

Reports indicate the decision was made on the day of the event, with WWE reworking segments featuring The Rock and Cody Rhodes to set up Cena's betrayal.

The change not only produced one of the most discussed moments in recent WWE history but also set the stage for an even greater showdown at WrestleMania.

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Cody Rhodes' role

While speaking of WWE, we shouldn’t forget Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. He was earlier approached for a collab with The Rock where he would take on the role of a heel "The Rock’s Champion" but rightfully declined as he preferred to maintain his fan-favorite persona.

This switch in plans forced the WWE to come up with a new Cena storyline.

As part of the story, Cena appears to be more sinister now.

Unlike before, it feels inevitable that Rhodes will fight against him at WrestleMania 41 for the famed titled belt after he becomes synonymous with the WWE championship.

Fans can mark their calendar for April 19 to 20 as Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas plays host to the two-day extravaganza.

Shifting focus to Cody Rhodes, he has responded to Cena’s shocking turn and has made it clear that he doesn't intend to back down from the fight.

Choosing his words wisely, he mentioned his disdain blended with a rush of determination, vowing to make Cena regret his decision to turn heel on the WWE Universe.