Hulk Hogan is weighing in on the most buzzed-about topic in WWE: John Cena’s heel turn. Cena’s turn was one of the shocking moments in wrestling history, right up there with Hogan being revealed as Kevin Nash and Scott Hall’s “third man” in the formation of the New World Order back in 1996.
Speaking with Scott Johnson on Going Ringside and News4JAX, Hogan shared his genuine surprise at Cena’s new direction and offered a personal comparison to his own notorious transformation into “Hollywood Hogan” during the NWO era.
“John Cena is a great wrestler… he’s my favorite wrestler without a doubt,” Hogan said. “I was shocked. I never thought John would turn into a bad guy.”
While Hogan embraced the shift as part of wrestling’s ever-evolving storytelling, he pointed out a key difference in crowd reaction.
“The fans are booing him out of the building,” Hogan observed. “The difference is, when I turned into a bad guy, the fans were cheering me more than ever. So it was a little crazy.”
WWE fans have long speculated whether Cena—known for his squeaky-clean image and massive youth following—would ever take a darker turn. The recent shift has sparked both shock and admiration from fans and insiders alike.
Hogan’s comments also provide context for how heel turns function differently across eras. In the ’90s, Hogan’s villain arc revitalized his career and helped usher in WWE’s Attitude Era. Whether Cena’s pivot will leave a similar legacy remains to be seen.
“It’s a great storyline,” Hogan said. “I like to see where this goes and how long he’s going to run with it.”
