Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has spoken out on John Cena's already infamous heel turn at Elimination Chamber 2025 in Toronto, as the shockwaves continue to permeate the wrestling world. Booker T and Cena faced off 15 times in total before the former called time on his own ring career.
In an exclusive interview with ScreenRant to discuss the growth of Reality of Wrestling - a development territory for WWE since 2024 - alongside Brad Gilmore, show runner of ROW's flagship show, Booker T offered his thoughts on the biggest story in wrestling now.
Booker T Asks "What's Best For Business?"
Heel Cena Propels WrestleMania 41
Booker T gave his assessment and thoughts on the shocking heel turn of John Cena at WWE Elimination Chamber, and what he thinks is the overall message and point of the move.
You know, man, it's been a saying in WWE for many, many years. That saying is, 'what's best for business?' It's no more true than this, what's going on right now with John Cena. What's best for business? What's best for business? John Cena being the old John Cena, you know what I mean? Or this John Cena we're seeing right now, which is captivating the world.
Everybody's talking about all the major networks. Major networks. I'm talking about it. I've seen a turn of the heel. It's the best thing in the world, man. Wrestling has always been that one thing to keep you on the edge of your seat and to keep you wondering. When we stop doing that, that's when it's not best for business. So yes, that's my opinion of that.
Brad Gilmore, show runner of "Platinum," the flagship show of Booker T's Reality of Wrestling, offered his own thoughts on how this changed the dynamic for the road to WrestleMania 41, as well as the story with both Cody Rhodes and Cena.
I was thrilled that the WWE, John Cena and The Rock and Cody Rhodes were bold enough to go out there and do it and pull it off and be so great drama with Cody telling The Rock to go F himself, then John Cena beating Cody Rhodes up with the Rolex that I'm assuming was the American Dream's at one point, just hitting him in the head over and over again with it. It was poetry. Emotion is what pro-wrestling is all about. It has given the people a moment.
I think for a generation to whereas you and I, Adam, when [Hulk] Hogan turned for the NWO, this is this generation's Hogan turn, right? Heel turn John Cena, the guy who was always the good guy, always fought through hustle, loyalty, respect, now sold out to the man, sold out to The Rock, sold out to the company. I think that it's made WrestleMania, which would have been, on paper, Cody Rhodes versus John Cena, 17th world title, Babyface, Babyface, hey, cool and all.
This now makes it even more of an event you have to tune into. Will the Evil John Cena put the American Dream to bed, finally, against Cody Rhodes and win his 17th title? I'm excited, man. It's WrestleMania season. Now we're in full gear. Wrestling season is in full gear, man.
Our Take On Booker T's Comments On John Cena
An Entirely New Dynamic For The Business
As shocking as the heel turn for Cena was, Booker and Gilmore agree that this sets a new trajectory for both Cena and WWE at a time when the company is full steam ahead in of visibility and public interest. Cena, a long-time babyface who was the face of the company for well over a decade, has taken a step in a much darker direction, adding elements and drama to his match against Cody Rhodes for their epic showdown at WrestleMania 41.
Booker T is asking the best question in this entire situation: "What's best for business?" and more importantly, what does this mean for a long-term arc that involves Cena, Rhodes, Rock, and potentially others from Cena's past, like CM Punk? With the biggest heel turn in professional wrestling since Hulk Hogan's turn in 1996, John Cena looks to be on the march to his 17th championship, by any means necessary.
