At WWE Backlash, John Cena met Randy Orton for the very last time, ending their iconic rivalry for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Going in, not only was John Cena the hated heel, but Orton was going to be cheered even more than normal, as the PLE took place in his hometown of St. Louis. As expected, Cena cheated to win and the crowd booed every dastardly move. However, after he gave a short heel promo following the match, the crowd shook Cena with an unexpected chant that caused the champ to show some emotion.

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Fans Chanted “Thank You, Cena” After WWE Backlash
John Cena cheated to get the victory over Randy Orton in an over-produced match. After dispatching of his challenger, Cena got on the mic, asking for competition and calling himself the last real champion. The St. Louis crowd could have easily booed Cena out of the building for beating their hometown hero, but instead, knowing it was his last appearance, thousands of fans began chanting “Thank you, Cena.”
Cena was shown with his mouth agape, looking down at his title, and walking with his head hung low as if he’d lost the match, even though he won. Walking back up the aisle, he stopped by a fan who was clapping for him and glanced their way before shaking his head, as if he was trying to shake off the emotion. As he got to the top of the aisle, he stopped and absorbed the chants before disappearing.

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Is John Cena Turning Babyface Again?
WWE cameras zoomed in on John Cena during this moment. Were they simply going with the unexpected chant or were they hoping this was the reaction the WWE Champion would get?
This could be the way John Cena turns babyface again. His heel turn hasn’t been all that great, from his lackluster motivation of hating the fans, to the disappearance of The Rock. Still, the fans have believed in him, and that might be what brings him back.