Why Not?

[ExtremeSwagga93]

Recently I've noticed posts stating that the main reason guys like John Cena and CM Punk shouldn't turn heel is because they are major babyfaces, that are over with the crowd, and sell the kiddies merchandise. Although that sounds like a valid reason, I can't help but disagree, with that being a reason not to switch them to heels to freshen them up every now and then.

I'd like to start by saying, I'm a fan of Cm Punk as either a heel or a face, and Cena, well I'm not a fan nor a hater. I'm a firm believer in switching things up to keep things interesting, and sometimes to keep a character from becoming one dimensional, you kinda switch them from heel to face, or in some cases face to heel. And the surprise factor that comes when you switch a big time face to a heel adds to the excitment of the program. For the sake of argument, I'm gonna go over two cases of major faces turning heel and then ask the question, if they did it why can't guys like Cena or CM Punk?

First and foremost, Stone Cold Steve Austin. At Wresltemania X-Seven (17) after a heck of a match with The Rock, Stone Cold allied himself with Vince McMahon in a shocking heel turn. At that time Stone Cold was already a major face, the Austin Era had begun and he was way over with the crowd arguably more than Cena is now, and to this day Stone Cold's popularity is outdoes Cena's.

Secondly, Hulk Hogan. It cannot be argued, Hulk Hogan is the all time biggest face of all time! Surpassing every major faces popularity. A heel turn for Hogan seem highly unlikely. But when hogan made his move over to WCW, the most shocking and unlikely heel turn took place when he allied himself with The Outsiders. Look how well that turned out, it helped form one of the if not, the biggest faction in wrestling history. And i'm pretty sure it didn't hurt WCW (until the end when the nWo faction storyline got way out of hand) and it certainly didn't hurt Hogan. It opened the way for new feuds and angles.

So that brings me to the last question, if major faces like Stone Cold, Hulk Hogan, even The Rock can make successful heel turns, why can't Cena of Punk? Punk is a semi-maineventer right now, he really can't seem to consistently keep his main event spot, maybe a heel turn is what he needs to keep him in the main event, and not in the mid-card. Nothing really can hurt Cena at this point, he's huge, but maybe a heel turn would make him fresh, of course you'd have to replace them with other main event faces, but that's another topic.

I'm not saying that it needs to happen, this is just something I was thinking about while in school.
Discuss.

 

[klunderbunker]

This one is rather simple. Austin was ridiculously over. Rock was more over. You can't have two super faces on the same roster and one of them had to turn heel. Face Austin had been done to death so they changed it up to make people talk. Rock was still the mega face. When Rock was initially turned heel, there was a big face to balance him out as well.

Let's look at Hogan. Watch Uncensored 96 and the following Nitros. Hogan is being booed. Loudly. The people were flat out sick to death of him. His character had grown stale. Later on when he was turned back, the pops came back because his new character was stale.

Cena and Punk aren't to that point yet. Who is the 2nd biggest face on Raw? Rey? Shawn? Both well past their primes and not in Cena's league right now. The mid card is flooded with heels and the only other face that's in Punk's league is Kingston who is likely getting Edge for a brief minifeud right now. Punk is insanely over as is Cena. In a few years if those pops die, then change it up. Why mess with something that's solid already?

 

[ExtremeSwagga93]

Well, you could bring up newer people to join the main event scene. Think about it, guys like Kofi Kingston are being teased in main event places. Kofi is a great talent, electric in the ring, and way over with the crowd. Granted, as we speak Kofi is no main eventer, nor is he at the top of the mid-card right now, but the potential is there. Evan Bourne, could fill CM Punk's place as the top face in the mid-card. He's only been in the WWe for short of a year, and is already as over as he is, and lacks nothing but size.

Rey Mysterio, as much I dislike him could be in the main event still, his popularity is crazy right now, enough to keep him the main event. Mr. Kennedy (if he ever rebounds) could be a top face, and MVP is back on track, there are a lot of different options, they just need to be looked into.

 

[klunderbunker]

There's a flaw in your thinking though. Let's say we do that. Turn Punk and Cena and bring up Kofi and Bourne to face them. What if Kofi and Bourne flop in the main event? Not saying that they would, but as you've said they're unproven commodities. Why should WWE take a gamble like that when they're already doing well? It's one thing to do it when you're desperate, but no one's challenging WWE right now. Stick with what's working until it no longer works.

 

[ExtremeSwagga93]

There's a flaw in your thinking though. Let's say we do that. Turn Punk and Cena and bring up Kofi and Bourne to face them. What if Kofi and Bourne flop in the main event? Not saying that they would, but as you've said they're unproven commodities. Why should WWE take a gamble like that when they're already doing well? It's one thing to do it when you're desperate, but no one's challenging WWE right now. Stick with what's working until it no longer works.

What I'm proposing here is definitely something that would happen in the future, right now WWE is in a comfortable spot, and no one is completely stale right now. I wouldn't put Bourne in the main event, I suggested putting him in the mid-card as a top face replacement for Punk, not as someone who would be anywhere near a world title, if he were to flump at the top of the mid-card (which is highly unlikely), you could take a more over, and safer option and put a face Kane in the IC title picture, since right now he's doing nothing. Or while Mysterio's name has been mentioned, put him at the top of the mid-card.

Putting Kofi in the main event, would be more risky, as the main event players have to be intellegently selected. Say for a second, Kofi is put into the spotlight, he's had some good mid-card feuds, maybe another, less forgettable IC title run, and wins Money in The Bank (once again not now but in the future), and that's how you could get him in the main event. Once he's there he'll either sink or swim really. If he fails, you could move a guy like Christian from ECW into the main event spotlight on RAW. Vince is good for taking risks, and I always say, no risk no reward.

 

[richardleaf20]

I agree with klunderbunker. There is no need to fix what isn't broken, as the old saying goes. Turning guys like Cena and Punk heel in the future would be a great idea, and by then we could have some heels turned face for them do battle with, such as Jericho or Orton. I'm just saying.