Dave Meltzer attributes John Cena's WWE heel turn to The Rock

Reports from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter indicate that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson initiated the creative plan for John Cena to turn heel during last year's Elimination Chamber event. Although John Cena previously credited Paul "Triple H" Levesque for the idea, sources now suggest Johnson suggested the move after WWE executives rejected a similar heel turn for Cody Rhodes. The storyline originated when Johnson attempted to recruit Rhodes, who declined, leading to an alliance with Cena. While Cena agreed to the creative shift, he has since noted the execution lacked logical cohesion and failed to achieve its long-term potential. The Rock ultimately stepped back from the program following the Elimination Chamber, ending their on-screen interaction before Cena secured the Undisputed WWE Title at WrestleMania 41.

• 7:04 PMWrestling Inc — Dave Meltzer: Idea For John Cena's WWE Heel Turn Came From The Rock, Not Triple H