John Cena on turning heel: I would fight that tooth and nail

Well, there goes one theory on why John Cena lost clean to The Rock at WrestleMania 28 last night (Sun., April 21, 2012) in Miami, Florida.

After the surprising result of the main event last night at Sun Life Stadium, everyone was quick to offer their particular theory as to why WWE had its golden boy, Cena, lose to a part time employee and Hollywood darling. One of the most prevalent -- as introduced by my brother in arms, Jesse Holland -- was that Cena was finally going to start his heel turn.

But while that's still a possibility (inasmuch as it's possible I could get hit by lightning today), comments made by the Fruity Pebble box cover boy at the WrestleMania press conference (via Between the Ropes) suggest there's no heel turn in sight.

"I've said this before. I truly think to be a successful bad guy -- and I'll use the term heel -- in this business means you need to be a bad guy. I almost broke down and cried three or four times at the Make-A-Wish pizza party that we just had. You may not like what I do but I'm not a bad guy. I would fight that tooth and nail. I just don't know if I could do that."

So now we can definitely save that it's not just WWE holding back on turning Cena heel; it's also the man himself simply not wanting to give up the image he's cultivated, whether we like it or not.

This is similar to what Hulk Hogan went through in 1996 before making the decision to turn heel in WCW to join the ranks of the nWo. He had been a babyface for so long at that point that he felt the change, for the longest time, simply wasn't worth it. Sure, it would reinvigorate his character and ultimately helped changed the wrestling business as a whole, but there were still children who believed in Hulkamania.

Hell, "Jersey" Jesse still believes it.

In the end, Hogan's ego and desire to remain at the top got the best of him and he made the decision to turn heel. It paid off in spades, too, as his fame reached heights similar to what it had as a babyface star in the 1980s.

Cena, obviously, doesn't feel the payoff would be enough to give up his charity work. And maybe he's right. But maybe he's not and a smartly executed heel turn would have an impact just as big as Hogan's did back in the late 90s.

Either way, it's just not happening. Not now and likely not anytime soon. Even if fans continue to clamor for it.