Daijiworld Media Network - Chicago

Chicago, Aug 17: WWE superstar John Cena opened up about his controversial heel turn and admitted it “did not go as planned.” Cena, who stunned fans by attacking Cody Rhodes at WWE Elimination Chamber, revealed that his promos initially failed to connect with the audience.

“I wasn’t upset. No, I failed. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. You can learn from failure, right? I went up there and bombed. Shit happens,” Cena told fans at Fan Expo Chicago 2025, emphasizing that he viewed setbacks as teaching moments in his career.

This year marks Cena’s final year in professional wrestling, part of his ongoing retirement tour. He has already faced stalwarts including Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and Randy Orton, and is set to battle Logan Paul at WWE Clash in Paris on August 31. Cena, however, remains coy about his ultimate last opponent, saying he wants his final matches to leave WWE better than he found it.

“I just want this tour to be special—for me, for the fans, and for the business,” Cena added.