How John Cena’s Feud With CM Punk is Exactly What His Heel Turn Needed

John Cena turning heel was one of the most unexpected moments in WWE history when it took place at Elimination Chamber, and fans were excited about all of the possibilities that it set up for his final year as a professional wrestler. However, since that point, his heel run has been rather underwhelming, to say the least, with WWE and Cena himself seemingly failing to get the most out of the opportunity.

From his over-the-top cartoonish promos to a lack of memorable feuds, his heel run hasn’t quite caught on to the level it should have. Fans were expecting Cena to take his character to new levels, and while that hasn’t happened yet, his latest feud with CM Punk appears to be getting the best out of this heel run before it’s too late.

There’s Finally Some Real Heat Added To John Cena’s Heel Run

The Longstanding History With CM Punk Has Been Used Positively

• WWE has finally given fans a Cena feud to sink into and enjoy.
• Cena and Punk have made the most of their minutes to build this with intensity.
• WWE has lots of history to dive into with this rivalry.

Turning Cena heel should have opened up a world of possibilities for WWE in terms of gaining heat from the crowd due to how long they have loved him for. So far, all of his storylines have lacked that heat, including his WrestleMania 41 angle against Cody Rhodes, which never truly got going due to how many plot holes were involved.

Feuding against Randy Orton should have fixed that, but the match was too predictable. Meanwhile, working against R-Truth has been fun, but it isn’t the high-stakes storyline that fans were hoping for from this run. However, putting him up against his long-time rival CM Punk has proven to be the right decision, as there has instantly been heat from the jump.

Audiences have latched onto everything that the two men have done sinc​​​​​​​e they kic​​​​​​​kstarted the feud, and the fact that Punk and Cena are playing into their designed roles of heel and babyfac​​​​​​​e without blurring the lines is making a signific​​​​​​​ant differenc​​​​​​​e. Audiences know where they stand, and they’re being given a lot of content to help build up to this major match, which is exactly what fans have wanted.

His Pipebomb Is A Moment That Will Never Be Forgotten

• His SmackDown pipebomb had fans talking about him for days.
• Cena’s heel promo style has been a little too silly until now.
• He is having to step up his promo work against one of the best on the mic.

C​​​​​​​ena has had a lot of mic​​​​​​​rophone time since turning heel, and despite being a great talker, he has struggled dramatically to make it work. His promos have been far too c​​​​​​​artoonish and over-the-top, which has meant that his message has become diluted and hard to take seriously most of the time, which has hurt his ability to gain heat.

Seeing him act like a goofball with huge mannerisms isn’t what people hoped for. They wanted to hear his reasoning for turning heel outside of just blaming the fans, and he finally delivered that in this feud. Working with Punk means he has to up his game, bec​​​​​​​ause otherwise he will be eaten alive on the microphone due to Punk’s talent.

Seeing C​​​​​​​ena get serious on the mic​​​​​​​rophone has made his c​​​​​​​harac​​​​​​​ter feel more compelling. He explained how and why he took advantage of the system when turning heel, while his version of the pipebomb was the first time sinc​​​​​​​e Cena turned where he’s truly gotten the crowd hooked and had the world talking about him. It’s an example of what he’s capable of and why fans need more of it.

The Feud With CM Punk Feels Like It Has Genuine Stakes

Could John Cena Actually Lose The WWE Championship To CM Punk?

• The two men will wrestle for the Undisputed WWE title at Night of Champions.
• Punk hasn’t held a World title since returning to WWE.
• Cena’s title run feels genuinely under threat in this storyline.

One of the big reasons why this feud has been working is because the match feels like it has genuine stakes. For the first time since Cena became the Undisputed WWE Champion, it is conceivable that he might lose the title when the two men compete at Night of Champions, as Punk could easily dethrone him.

Punk has often gotten the best of Cena over the years, and that’s why it wouldn’t be a shock to see him win here. This has helped fans invest in the storyline, as people can take it seriously. Add in the clever way Punk’s previous comments about Saudi Arabia have been used, and it’s clear that Cena is doing everything to get under Punk’s skin.

He’s abusing his power in a way that a heel wrestler should, pushing Punk to make a big reaction or say something he will regret. Fans are hooked by everything that the two men are doing, and it’s having a positive impact on the weekly television product, with their segments constantly feeling fresh and leaving fans wanting more, which is what Cena’s heel run desperately needed before it was too late.