John Cena made his highly anticipated debut as a heel on Monday’s episode of “Raw,” two weeks after shocking fans by turning against Cody Rhodes at Elimination Chamber. The 16-time World Champion opened the show with a promo addressing his actions for the first time, but it failed to deliver in many wrestling fans’ eyes.
Cena’s promo felt like a paint-by-numbers speech, with him saying he gave everything to WWE fans and they gave nothing back. While there was truth to this statement, it lacked the raw emotion needed to make it believable as a heel turn. Cena has proven himself to be one of the greatest face performers in WWE history, but his promo on Monday seemed more like an attempt to justify his betrayal rather than sell it.
Furthermore, Cena’s attire looked out of place, given his new heel persona. The normal wrestling gear didn’t fit with his character transformation, and fans are still adjusting to the idea of Cena as a villain.
However, not everyone shared this sentiment. Kel Dansby, a wrestling expert, believes that Cena’s slow build-up will pay off in the end. He argues that the audience is patient, and over the next six weeks, they’ll see Cena gradually shift into his ruthless and unapologetic heel persona. The promo on Monday was just the beginning of this transformation.
The rivalry between Cena and Cody Rhodes is also heating up, with both men exchanging verbal jabs. While the segment didn’t make for a great first impression, it set the stage for a compelling feud that will likely get personal in the coming weeks.
In conclusion, while John Cena’s WWE Raw debut was expected to be huge, it fell short of expectations due to its lack of raw emotion and poorly received attire. However, with six weeks left until WrestleMania 41, fans can expect Cena to fine-tune his character transformation, making him a formidable heel in the process.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/wrestling/article/john-cenas-first-heel-promo-did-his-grand-unveiling-on-wwe-raw-miss-the-mark-014758602.html