John Cena is arguably the biggest star WWE have made in recent memory.

While it’s hard to imagine anyone breathing the rarefied air that Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock breath, Cena is certainly the man who has come closest to it since both men departed wrestling.

John Cena has been the standard bearer in WWE for so long now

But has he ever really enjoyed the adulation the aforementioned pair did? That’s what you imagine out of a top star, right?

The same way Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart were stars all around the world wherever they went and the crowd literally adored them, did Cena ever have that?

He had it to a degree between 2003-05. Cena’s Doctor of Thuganomics character was over huge with the fanbase and it showed him at his witty, inventive best on the microphone.

Of course, success soon followed and by the latter stages of 2004, the cocky, rapping heel had turned into a babyface. By WrestleMania 21, he won his first world title.

John Cena as the ultra-popular Dr of Thuganmoics

Cena’s problem from there? Well, he’s still wrestling today – or will be at WrestleMania – in a part-time capacity and he has never changed his character.

16 years is a long time to persevere with the same kind of character, no matter what subtle nuances you include, and expect fans not to receive them as stale. But that’s what WWE did, despite years of fans telling them that’s not what they want.

The one time WWE did finally consider making the move was during his 2011-2012 feud with The Rock.

Talking to Wade Keller, former WWE writer Kevin Eck opened up on how Vince had finally agreed to turn Cena, but one thing held the whole thing back.

“Vince had agreed to do it, but then he changed his mind and said that we can’t do it. This was back around the time when McMahon was really looking at Sheamus to get his push. The question was if we turn John Cena heel then who is he going to work with, who will be the top babyface?

“That was the feeling back then, then we came up with some scenarios, and believe it or not, Cena was on board with it, but right around that time there was a big clothing line for John Cena at Kmart, and Vince McMahon was like, ‘Oh Jesus Christ, he has a deal with Kmart, and now we’re going to turn him heel?’

WWE The Rock and John Cena had a memorable feud in WWE

“So, Kmart is to blame for Cena not turning heel. During a meeting once Vince had a huge smile on his face, and he tells everyone that I know you’ve wanted John Cena as a heel for a long time, but we just can’t turn him heel and that was the end of that.”

Cena has always shipped a ton of merchandise for WWE and over 10-year period from 2005 to 2015 he was absolutely untouchable. It was a gold mine for WWE.

It seems like a prime example of money over everything. Guys like Hulk Hogan totally reinvented themselves by turning heel. He joined the NWO in 1996 and not only changed the business, but when he did turn face again in WWE in 2002, business was huge.

Rock and Austin both turned in 2003 and 2001, respectively, and had classic runs that really added to their legacy, at least from a character standpoint.

It also makes sense what Eck is saying. Back in 2011, Wrestling Inc reported that WWE trademarked “Fear my name”. We never saw this followed up on WWE TV, though, or since on the Network.

However, in 2015, Cena surprised then-girlfriend Nikki Bella during a workout on Total Divas with some old gear that had the phrase ‘Fear my name’ with Cena’s surname on the back. Hardly a coincidence, is it?

The other piece to the puzzle is from a 2015 episode of “Total Divas”. This saw Cena appear in a singlet that says, “Fear my name” on it. Coincidence?

So why couldn’t Cena do the same? The Rock would have appeared to be the perfect foil, but Cena told Chris Jericho during an interview on the WWE Network that while he was all for it, the decision was ultimately out of his hands.

“It was discussed briefly. It was discussed briefly with the programme with The Rock. And, immediately, I ran off like a cartoon, you can see my dust shadow [laughs]. We recorded new theme music, got new gear made. This was just a casual ‘hey, we may be thinking about this’ – so it’s not like I’m not ready for it.

WWE John Cena (left) is set to take on Bray ‘The Fiend’ Wyatt at WrestleMania 36

“But at the same point, I know I’m just trying to do my job the best I can. I know what we’re doing.

“If it happened, I thought it would have been great. It would be great for me to be able to show that different side and be able to go out and do that. But, at the same time, it is so rewarding for me to go out there and be aspirational and an inspiration.”

The hardcore fans had grown tired of ‘Super Cena’. They knew Cena could be entertaining and revitalise WWE at a time when it really needed it, but the business aspect of WWE handcuffed their creative when it came to their top star.

Of course, WWE had moved to a PG demographic at that time, too. Not only was that very valuable to WWE, but it became valuable to Cena, too.

“For you [Chris Jericho], a grown adult, it’s like ‘when is he just gonna be a bad guy?!’ but the eight-year-old kid in the front row is literally lit up,” Cena explained. “That makes everything worth it. Everything. For all those guys that are like ‘c’mon man, just turn heel’ I’m like, you guys boo me anyway! I’m the biggest heel in the company.”

WWE John Cena made his debut against Kurt Angle in 2002

The 16-time world champion has a cemented legacy and is a sure-fire, first ballot Hall of Famer, no doubt. It’s just a case of what-could-have-been for a lot of fans.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet in 2018, Cena made it clear that it was Vince McMahon that made those decisions and not him.

“There are creative feelings inside me that would like to be a bad guy on WWE but that ain’t gonna happen because that’s not my job. My job is to be who I am and that comes from (Vince).”

We’ll never know what turning Cena would have done for the landscape of wrestling, but it certainly seemed to help all of the top stars that came before him.

Now, Roman Reigns is the full-timer stuck in the same mould. WWE fans don’t want to see someone constantly portrayed as the underdog and overcoming every single heel – times have changed and the world has evolved, as must wrestling.

But, is it the Vince McMahon way?