Hulk Hogan Compares John Cena’s Heel Turn To His Own NWO Moment

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has shared his thoughts on John Cena’s shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber, where Cena aligned with The Rock ahead of his WrestleMania 41 showdown with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

Speaking with The Undisputed’s Justin Barrasso, Hogan acknowledged the comparisons between Cena’s turn and his own infamous betrayal at WCW Bash at the Beach 1996, where he was revealed as the third member of the New World Order (NWO) alongside Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.

Hogan praised WWE’s execution of the turn, emphasizing its significance beyond just a storyline shift.

“Well, we definitely can see Cena now, can’t we?” Hogan said. “We know who he is now. He’s not signing autographs or doing what he’s been doing. That’s bigger than a wrestling angle.”

The moment, which saw Cena attack Rhodes and fully embrace his new villainous persona alongside The Rock, has been widely regarded as one of WWE’s most shocking creative decisions in recent years.

Hogan continued, giving WWE credit for how they orchestrated the moment, particularly highlighting The Rock’s performance.

“It’s one of the best heel turns I’ve seen in a long, long time,” Hogan continued. “All the major players were involved. I can’t say enough about The Rock, too—he was incredible. They did it right, I’ll tell you that.”

The move has sent shockwaves through the WWE landscape, with Cena now heading into WrestleMania 41 as a full-fledged villain for the first time in his career.

While Hogan has remained vocal about WWE storylines, he has not made a live appearance on WWE programming since receiving a negative fan reaction at the Netflix premiere on January 6th.

Whether Hogan will return to WWE television to expand on his thoughts—or potentially be involved in any capacity—remains to be seen.