Headline Surfer photo image screenshot/courtesy WWE / A sneering John Cena hugs WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes in the ring before turning heel and attacking him in the ring after the Elimination Chamber PPV over the weekend. Cena will challenge Rhodes for the title at WrestleMania on April 19-20. INSET Top: Retired wrestler Matt Morgan weighs in on Cena's heel turn and offers two others: 1. Andre the Giant turning heel on Hulk Hogan on Piper's Pit leading to the Wrestlemania III showdown; 2. Hogan joining Kevin Nah & Scott Hall at the WCW Bash at the Beach in Daytona Beach to form the NWO.
By HENRY FREDERICK Headline Surfer
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The way retired wrestling giant Matt Morgan sees it, "WWE pulled off the Cena heel turn to perfection" at its Elimination pay-per-view event.
As shocking as it was, considering Cena had been the ultimate "face" in the squared circle for the past 20 years with his good-guy mantra "Loyalty, Hustle, and Respect," Morgan doesn't see Cena's vicious attack on WWE champion Cody Rhodes at the direction of The Rock as the greatest heel turn in pro wrestling history.
Matt Morgan is shown in this Hesdline Surfer photo collage with Hulk Hogan in a TNA wrestling ring, at his swearing in as mayor of Longwood, Florida on May 7, 2019, and working out in a gym.
"I think it will go down in history as the third greatest heel turn of all time, only behind Andre the Giant turning on Hulk Hogan to set up their Wrestlemania III match, and behind Hulk Hogan being the third member of the NWO in WCW at the time," said, Morgan, 48, known in wrestling as "The Blue Print" Matt Morgan, and as the former mayor and current city commissioner in Longwood, Florida. "WWE pulled off the Cena heel turn to perfection, and nobody saw it coming!" Morgan said exclusively to Headline Surfer for its Wrestling ReWind blog. "Look no further than the fans' faces in the audience when he kicked Cody Rhodes in the nuts!"
Wrestling Rewind leans on Morgan's expertise and insights, considering the 7-foot big man's extensive wrestling career in WWE and TNA Wrestling, where he was a two-time TNA World Tag Team Champion - once with Crimson and once by himself.
Cena's heel turn is the "third greatest heel turn in professional wrestling," Morhan insisted, only behind Andre the Giant turning heel on Hogan to set up the Wrestlemania 3 main event and Hogan's shocking heel turn in WCW's PPV as the third member of the New World Order faction with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.
Here is a brief synopsis of the top 2 heel turns as suggested by Morgan:
• André the Giant appeared with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan at his side on Piper's Pit on Feb. 7, 1987, to challenge Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania III. Heenan accused Hogan of being André's friend so he wouldn't have to defend the title against him. Hogan returned to Piper's Pit two weeks later. The appearances were shocking and set up the epic Wrestlemania match at the Pontiac Silverdome on March 29, 1987, where Hogan bodyslammed Andre for the win in front of 93,000 in attendance.
Below: Cena Heel turn shown on X (formerly Twitter).
SPEECHLESS. 💔
JOHN CENA just viciously TURNED on CODY RHODES at #WWEChamber! pic.twitter.com/jSyaCud7Wz
— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2025
Wrestling ReWind Rankings
Top 20 Men: 1. Cody Rhodes (WWE Undisputed Champ); 2. Jon Moxley (AEW Heavyweight Champ); 3. John Cena (WWE); 4. Gunther (WWE Heavyweight Champ); 5. CM Punk (WWE); 6. Seth Rollins (WWE); 7. Jey Uso (WWE); 8. Roman Reigns; (WWE) 9. Kevin Owens (WWE); 10. Randy Orton (WWE);
11. Solo Sikoa (WWE); 12. Jacob Fatu (WWE); 13. Braun Stroman (WWE); 14. Sami Zayn (WWE); 15. Adam "Cope" Copeland (AEW); 16. Bron Breaker (WWE Intercontinental Champ); 17. Joe Hendry (TNA men's champ); 18. LA Knight (WWE US Champ); 19. Karion Kross (WWE); 20. Matt Cardona (TNA)
Top 20 Women: 1. Toni Storm (AEW Women's Champ); 2. Tiffany Stratton (WWE Women's Champ); 3. Io Sky (WWE Women's World Champ); 4. Bianca Belair (WWE); 5. Charlotte Flair (WWE); 6. Liv Morgan (WWE); 7. Mercedes Mone (AEW TBS Champ); 8. Nia Jax (WWE); 9. Rhea Ripley (WWE); 10. Jade Cargill (WWE);
11. Bayley (WWE); 12. Alexa Bliss (WWE); 13. Chelsea Green (WWE US Women's Champ); 14. Lyla Valkyria (WWE Women's Intercontinental Champ); 15. Naomi (WWE) 16. Dakota Kai (WWE); 17. Roxanne Perex (WWE); 18. Giulia (NXT Women's Champ); 19.) Jordynne Grace (NXT) 20. Tessa Blanchard (TNA).
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