John Cena Pushed For An Austin Theory Face Turn After Their WrestleMania 39 Match

Austin Theory shares how John Cena pushed for an Austin Theory face turn following their WrestleMania 39 United States Championship bout.

In the build up to WrestleMania 39, Theory would begin a few with John Cena, with Cena verbally dressing down the US champion during an in ring promo on the way into the event. Theory would end up winning the match itself at WrestleMania, low blowing Cena on his way to victory.

While speaking to IMPAULSIVE in a new interview, Austin Theory reflected on the process surrounding his US Title match with John Cena at WrestleMania 39, sharing that Cena pushed for him to get a babyface turn following their match together.

“That whole process was crazy. Even the promo and talking to him. I even went down to his gym, and we had dinner and talked. I just remember him telling me, ‘You’re not a bad guy. I want you to be you.’ I remember being so confused because I was like, ‘Man, I’m this obnoxious, over the top, cocky heel.’ He’s like, ‘I feel like that’s not going to last too long. You’ve got to be yourself.’ I was like, ‘How do I do this? I’m a bad guy.’ I even remember him telling me that after the match at Mania. That match, to me… I have a picture of myself as a kid holding my little brother, and I had a cardboard cutout of Cena in my room. He was always my dude. So just having that match with him, and how awesome he was through the whole experience, that’ll stay with me forever. Something cool, my grandfather has always taken the father figure role for me. When I was a kid, he told me, because he knew I always wanted to be a wrestler, ‘All I ask from you is that when you face John Cena, I get a hot dog and a Coke in the crowd when it happens.’ I told my girl that day, and she brought them to him. God, what a crazy moment, you know what I mean? After the match, I remember Cena telling me, ‘Hey, I went and talked to Vince (McMahon), and I told him you’re not a bad guy. So hopefully that helps you become a good guy.’”

Elsewhere in the same interview, Theory spoke about wishing he had the chance to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase on Roman Reigns. You can read more about that here.

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