Summary
- John Cena turned heel for the first time in 23 years at Elimination Chamber, aligning with The Rock.
- Cena revealed a cancer diagnosis and emphasized the importance of sunscreen and check-ups.
- After a couple of surgeries, Cena considers himself fortunate and planned to prioritize protecting himself more at the time.
John Cena is dominating the WWE space at the moment. As one of the Superstars with the most World Championships in history, the Leader of the C-Nation is currently on his retirement tour with the company. He has always been seen as the symbol of everything good. Not just in wrestling, but away from the squared circle as far as being a human being is concerned.
Cena has been regarded as the face of WWE for well over a decade, and has the record for the most wishes given to the Make-A-Wish foundation by an individual, with 650 granted at the time of writing, for children with critical illnesses. However, Cena’s character has changed dramatically in recent weeks, having done the unthinkable and turning heel at the 2025 Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event (PLE) in Toronto, choosing to side with the ‘Final Boss’ The Rock and Travis Scott rather than Cody Rhodes. This is the first time he’s played a bad guy role in the ring in 23 years, moving away from the awe-inspiring and positive aura to one that is almost poisonous.
While things have been largely going well for Cena inside the ring, away from it, he had a health scare that could have seen life take a turn for the worst had he not addressed it sooner.
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John Cena’s Skin Cancer Diagnosis
Speaking to People, Cena revealed how he caught skin cancer and how he was neglectful before visiting a dermatologist during his early twenties. He was asked whether he ever wore sunscreen at the time, as he collaborated with healthcare giants Neutrogena for a campaign.
Never. My mom [Carol] raised five boys, and I’m pretty sure she just wanted to just keep us alive and healthy. She had her hands full for sure, so I certainly do not blame her. And me being born in ’77, this was kind of all-new knowledge. I was stubborn. I didn’t want to have a routine, and I also thought the problem would never reach me. And it’s one of those things where I had a ton of exposure with minimal protection, and it caught up with me.
Cena elaborated on the shocking moment when he was told by the dermatologist that a cancerous area of his right pec was spotted, and he would have to return to the hospital for treatment.
It wasn’t until I went to a dermatologist and got a skin checkup and had a cancerous spot removed from my right pec. I was very lucky to have a great dermatologist who, kind of, I guess for lack of a better term, held me by the hand and let me know that I wasn’t alone. The stats on this are overwhelming, but as much as I learn about them, those numbers don’t mean anything. I think the best way to hammer home a point is human-to-human connection. And I, as a human, can tell you: Man, that phone call’s not what you want to get because it is unpredictable and you don’t know how bad it’s going to be.
Cena had to return to the hospital almost a year later as a second spot was removed from his right shoulder, and said that WWE fans would be able to see ‘a white polka dot’ where the cancer was. Despite this scare, Cena shared how he was fortunate to “dodge these two bullets” and how he will be more careful going forward.
I’m at a great space in my life where that’s now important to me. And I’m so grateful to be able to dodge those two bullets, but I wear them as a reminder, ‘Hey man, you need to take the extra few seconds to protect yourself every day.
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