Paul Levesque also spoke about The Rock's first reaction to one of the greatest heel turns in wrestling history
Sport Robbie Chalmers Sports Trends Writer 16:31, 14 Apr 2025Updated 16:32, 14 Apr 2025
WWE legend Triple H has got pulses racing for WrestleMania 41 after he opened up on how long John Cena could remain a heel for.
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The company's chief content officer, real name Paul Levesque, spilled the beans on turning one of wrestling's most beloved babyfaces into one of the great ring villains of the modern era.
Cena shocked the WWE universe after turning on Cody Rhodes in favour of The Rock at the Elimination Chamber in February. Now all three are set to star at WrestleMania 41, being held in Las Vegas this weekend.
After spending nearly two decades as the face of the company and the ultimate hero to fans, Cena’s betrayal of Rhodes at the Elimination Chamber sent shockwaves among WWE Universe.
Triple H has lifted the lid on the decision behind turning Cena "selling out" and if he will remain heel for the rest of his Farewell Tour, with the icon set to retire from the canvas at the end of 2025.
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Speaking on High Performance podcast, Levesque said: "I went to John and said, what if we pulled the lever that no one wanted to ever pull and turned you into a heel?
"Because to me, it sort of felt like if you never do it, like we kind of just left it dangling there.
"And there, to me, it's okay, so now we get to write for this guy who has been this ultimate good guy for 20 years.
"We get to turn him bad. I pitched this idea to John over a call, and he said, 'Wow'."
Levesque added: "He said, 'I love it because I could be safe I could be easy and I could come in and phone this in and do my greatest hits and move on, or I could be challenged'.
"Then who knows, by December does he see the light and become a good guy again mayeb, Does he retire as a bad guy, it's wide open."
He added: "He loves it [The Rock]...He likes to be disruptive. It is great having him around and being part of it.
"In the moment when he is doing this stuff with us in the Elimination Chamber and the idea comes up about, 'then what if Cody tell you to get lost and then John turns [heel]' and he is like, 'dude holy s**t this is amazing!'.
"We are all involved in this amazing moment that shift the business."
Cena is currently tied with Ric Flair on 16 world titles, with The Champ vowing to "destroy" wrestling by claiming the record and retiring the belt.
The upcoming WrestleMania 41 is shaping up to be not just a spectacle but a masterclass in long-term storytelling.
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