If you want an example of how inept WWE’s creative programming is at this time, look no further than the John Cena heel turn. What started out as an exciting moment at Elimination Chamber ended up being nothing more than a creative failure that WWE hopes viewers simply forget. What could have been one of the most important stories in recent wrestling history is less than a foot note in John Cena’s illustrious career. But it is a bigger spotlight on how bad WWE’s creative is right now.
Think back to that reaction on March 1 at Elimination Chamber 2025. It made sense for everyone to see Cena as the favorite going into the main event. The story of Cena capturing that “Never Seen 17” was the perfect way to build to his scheduled retirement on December 31. But the way he got there was something that few saw coming.
Cena tapped into all his acting chops to deliver one of the best heel turns in recent memory. He, along with The Rock and Travis Scott, left Cody Rhodes a bloody mess. What should have been the start of a story tapping into a point, such as Cena failing to live up to the ideal that fans had of him? Instead, fans got a quick look into how short-sighted WWE’s creative is, which is a powerful criticism of Triple H.
The blame game created by The Rock and Triple H in the weeks that followed WrestleMania 41 shows that nothing was planned in the aftermath. Could this have led to a major story? Yes. Was it going to be under WWE’s leadership, which is focused on KPIs and the bottom line? No. This company isn’t focused on the same thing that fans are focused on. Viewers tune in for great characters, matches, and moments that build to the memories that many have had from decades of watching wrestling. The focus is on revenue, profits, and extracting the most wealth out of WWE as quickly as possible.
Those familiar with Endeavor have drawn parallels to what occurred within UFC since the company’s acquisition in 2016. UFC used to be a great platform for telling the stories of its top fighters and their ambitions heading into the biggest contests. That doesn’t happen anymore, and it is one of the biggest reasons MMA has failed to build stars like those in years past.
But back to the failure that was John Cena’s heel turn. Imagine if this were done right. Cena’s ambition to ruin his legacy, making it impossible for WWE to build up another powerful babyface, should have been the focus through incredible storytelling involving some of the most important figures of his past. Instead, Cena’s run is marred by laziness. And that is the term that should be best used to describe the status of WWE’s creative direction today. Lazy.