What Did John Cena Say In His First Promo As A Heel On WWE Monday Night Raw?

John Cena made his highly anticipated return to WWE Raw this Monday, delivering what some fans are calling the ‘best promo of his career’.

For the first time since his shocking John Cena stepped into the ring to address the WWE Universe – and the reception was anything but welcoming.

John Cena’s First Raw Appearance as a Heel

The 16-time world champion, who had been the face of WWE for two decades, stunned the wrestling world earlier this month when he viciously attacked The Rock.

Since that brutal beatdown, Cena had been absent from WWE television, leaving fans speculating about his next move. That all changed on Monday night.

Raw opened with Cena’s iconic entrance theme, but instead of cheers, the arena in Brussels, Belgium, erupted in deafening boos.

Dressed in brand-new merchandise, Cena took to the mic and fully embraced his new heel persona.

Don't adjust your sets … this is REAL LIFE.#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/JyWjIfdZH4

— WWE (@WWE) March 17, 2025

John Cena’s Fiery Promo: ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’

Cena wasted no time unleashing his frustration on the WWE audience, cutting an emotionally charged, expletive-laden promo that instantly went viral.

“For 25 years, I’ve been the victim, okay. All you do is be hurtful, all you are is abusive, and all you’ve ever done is bully me into being your damn puppet, and expected me to do it with a smile on my face.”

The crowd responded with loud chants of “Cena sucks,” but the veteran superstar was unbothered. Instead, he declared war on the WWE Universe, claiming he was neither a face nor a heel—just a human being who had finally had enough.

“Not one of you sons of b****** ask me how I feel. It’s just, ‘What do we get? What do we get? What do we get?’ You get NOTHING. You get what you have earned and what you have earned is nothing.”

Cena’s words hit hard, with the 16-time champion fully embracing his dark side. He even took a shot at his past persona, telling fans that they no longer deserved the version of Cena they once idolised.

“You don’t get a new look because you dress like me. I don’t dress like you idiots. You don’t get new music. That is my voice on that song and your time is finally up and my time is finally now.”

This kid is devastated at this John Cena promo lol #WWERAW pic.twitter.com/mUYRjfcYDi

— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) March 17, 2025

Cody Rhodes Confronts Cena: The Road to WrestleMania 41

Just when it seemed like Cena had the last word, Cody Rhodes’ music hit, and the American Nightmare made his way to the ring to confront the former face of WWE.

Rhodes wasted no time in calling out Cena for his shocking heel turn and alliance with The Rock, and it was Rhodes’ mic drop moment that stole the show:

“Find John Cena, because I don’t want to face a whiny b**** at WrestleMania.”

This confrontation all but confirmed that Cena will challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41, setting up a high-stakes showdown between two of WWE’s biggest names.

Social Media Reacts to Cena’s Heel Promo

Following Cena’s jaw-dropping promo, social media exploded with reactions.

Fans on X (formerly Twitter) immediately started trending hashtags related to Cena’s turn, with many praising his performanc and sharing their excitement.

Me watching this John Cena promo #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/nuTg0WtfLp

— Ryan Butler (@abaconbuttee) March 17, 2025

John Cena just cut one of the best promos of his entire career ripping into the fans for the 20-year toxic relationship they been in.

Cody Rhodes felt like an all-timer babyface standing up for the fans against their fallen hero.

An absolutely outstanding segment. #WWERaw https://t.co/9yUX6zfOX7 pic.twitter.com/0k1MoSi1Ah

— SP3 | NMFD, JYT (@TruHeelSP3) March 17, 2025

The best promo of his entire career. Take a bow John Cena. #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/0HRuuxykva

— Wrestlelamia.com (@wrestlelamia) March 17, 2025

John Cena's promo on Raw was damn near perfect because it felt so real. He's not "turning heel", he's telling you how he feels and not a lie was told. The fans have treated Cena unfairly for a long time and he has always kept a smile on his face. He treated everyone with respect… pic.twitter.com/gNA2MkPXbf

— Mike Hollow (@RealMikeHollow) March 17, 2025

The general consensus? Heel Cena is absolute gold.

What’s Next for John Cena on the Road to WrestleMania?

John Cena isn’t done yet. WWE has confirmed that he will appear on the next two episodes of Monday Night Raw leading up to WrestleMania 41:

• March 24 – Raw in Glasgow, Scotland
• March 31 – Raw in London, England

Both episodes will have a special start time of 7pm GMT, so fans in the UK can enjoy it live on Netflix.

With his full embrace of the heel persona and a massive match looming, it’s clear that John Cena is back in WWE in a way we’ve never seen before.