“You beg for forgiveness,” Hulk Hogan gives his take on whether Vince McMahon missed a trick by not turning John Cena a heel in WWE

Hulk Hogan believes that John Cena should've turned heel during his run as a "polarizing" figure.

“You beg for forgiveness,” Hulk Hogan gives his take on whether Vince McMahon missed a trick by not turning John Cena a heel in WWE

Hulk Hogan, Vince McMahon, and John Cena (via X, WrestleTalk, and WWE)

John Cena is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. He was the poster boy for the WWE for more than a decade during the Ruthless and PG Eras. Despite being one of the most beloved superstars today, there was a long period when the Franchise Player was ‘polarizing’. Moreover, many fans believed that Cena was in desperate need of a “heel turn”, similar to that of Hulk Hogan. Recently, the latter expressed his opinion on whether the WWE should have pulled the trigger.

While speaking with Chris Van Vliet, the Hulkster claimed that John Cena would’ve been among the greatest heels ever. At the time, Vince McMahon reportedly refused to do so. Also, this was due to the Cenation Leader’s Make-A-Wish work and merchandise sales. 

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He would be one of the hottest heels ever. And then, whether it’s six months, six years, or two years, when you repent and beg for forgiveness, he’d be hotter than he was before as a babyface. It’s a natural flow that, once you get the vibe out there, John would be in a better position to know than Vince. 
Hulk Hogan on CVV

The WWE Hall of Famer was in almost the same spot as John Cena during his career. Interestingly, he would end up turning ‘heel’ in 1996 at WCW Bash Aat the Bash. Needless to say, this will always remain one of professional wrestling’s biggest ‘what-ifs’.

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Related: AEW fans erupt in thunderous boos for WWE legend Hulk Hogan as Sting namedrops him in his retirement promo

Hulk Hogan details the infamous night at Bash At The Bash 1996

The ending of the WCW Bash at the Beach 1996 will forever remain engraved as one of the biggest nights in professional wrestling history. Hulk Hogan finally turned heel, joining forces with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall to officially form the New World Order (NWO). The Hulkster detailed how he led himself to the decision.

Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan (via WWE)
I called Eric [Bischoff] and said, ‘I’m your third man’. He said oh thank God, because we were gonna go with Sting. I said, bro, you can’t go with Sting. He’s not WWF from head to toe. It’s in my blood. I mean, I’m the guy,

During the above-mentioned interview, Hulk Hogan revealed what transpired that night. According to him, he was reluctant at first. However, after seeing how impressive Hall and Nash were on television, the legend decided it was the right time. As a result, this kicked off an 83-week winning streak for WCW against the WWF, which was termed the Monday Night Wars.

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