John Cena Heel Turn 2014: Will WWE’s Top Star Turn At Payback Against Bray Wyatt?

It’s always a popular question among WWE fans—Will John Cena turn heel? The company’s top star has been a babyface since he debuted on the roster, and has often scoffed at the notion of changing his character.

Cena’s recent feud has, once again, sparked rumors that the 37-year-old could become a bad guy. At WrestleMania 30 and Extreme Rules, Cena took on Bray Wyatt. With both wrestlers picking up one victory, the storyline could come to a conclusion at Payback on June 1.

Will Cena turn heel at the next WWE pay-per-view?

Cena has dropped hints that he could be turning on the fans. On the edition of “Monday Night Raw” before Extreme Rules, Cena repeatedly asked the fans why they were so enamored with the Wyatt Family. Even though Wyatt is one of WWE’s top villains, his work has been so good that he’s gotten a lot of cheers. Cena usually hears a lot of boos, but those have increased against Wyatt.

While most adult males boo Cena, he’s a fan favorite of the younger WWE fans. Turning Cena heel could make the kids hate him and give him the spot as one of the most hated wrestlers WWE has seen in recent years.

Former WWE superstars have recently suggested that it could be time for Cena to shed his good-guy image. In a Facebook post, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley called for a change in Cena's character. Former WWF and ECW star Justin Credible has also expressed his desire to see Cena end his run as a babyface.

WWE has had plenty of chances to turn Cena heel, including his two WrestleMania matches with The Rock. If Cena is going to eventually make a change, though, now might be the best time to do it.

Cena has been the face of the company for a decade, and WWE may never find what they consider a suitable replacement for the 11-time WWE champion. However, Daniel Bryan has become as popular as any wrestler in the last 10 years. If WWE is waiting to find a babyface that can take Cena’s spot, it’s hard to believe that they’ll find a better option than the current WWE World Heavyweight champ.

In addition to Bryan, WWE has several new up-and-coming superstars. All three members of The Shield have already become top babyfaces, and wrestlers like Cesaro and Bad News Barrett also have bright futures. For the first time in recent memory, WWE can survive without having Cena as a top good guy.

There is certainly a lot of risk in turning Cena heel. He’s the company’s top merchandise-seller, and WWE could lose money, at least in the short term, by changing his character. The turn could also backfire, considering half of the audience is already against Cena. If he turns heel, those same fans might begin to cheer him.

When the Cena-Wyatt feud comes to an end, it’s not likely that Cena will be a heel. Because of the reaction from the fans, he’s arguably both the biggest heel and babyface in the company. If the WWE ever wants to make a change, though, they could have trouble finding a better opportunity.