WWE Elimination Chamber 2012: John Cena Will Continue To Flirt with Heel Turn

Many WWE fans have been calling for John Cena to turn heel for quite some time. His recent feud with Kane has hinted at that, as Kane has tried to get Cena to "embrace the hate." That process is sure to continue when they face off at Elimination Chamber.

It was announced on RAW that Cena and Kane would compete in the first ambulance match since 2003. The purpose of the match is to incapacitate your opponent enough so that he can be placed in an ambulance, so it isn't unlike a casket match in a lot of ways.

The match seems apropos since Kane has sent Zack Ryder to the hospital on a couple of occasions. Say what you will about this feud being lame and in most ways it has been, but this type of brutal match is the perfect avenue to continue the evolution of Cena's character.

A full-blown heel turn for Cena is unlikely heading into WrestleMania, but a tweak in his current character could be just as good. Cena battered Kane a couple weeks ago on RAW, and while he continued to be a smiley, annoying super face, it showed that Cena was also capable of being a ruthless wrecking machine.

Kane continued to goad Cena on Monday as he terrorized Eve and said that he would continue his evil ways until Cena embraces hate. This seems to be leading to a Cena victory at Elimination Chamber. If Cena is going to add more depth and a bit of an edge to his gimmick then he has to brutally beat Kane and send him off in an ambulance.

It seems as if the ultimate goal of this match is to make Cena seem a bit tougher so that he might appeal to some of the fans who normally dislike him, but by remaining face he will still be beloved by his target demographic. Ultimately, it's a way to get Cena more support heading into his WrestleMania match with The Rock.

This brings up the question of why Kane, in effect, is trying to help Cena. If he believes that embracing hate will make Cena more powerful then what is the point of doing it? Kane has to have some type of involvement in the Cena/Rock feud, but it remains to be seen precisely what it is.

In the end, Cena's flirtation with a heel turn will likely be nothing more than a big tease. Perhaps this feud will give Cena more of an attitude, but it doesn't seem as if it is going to lead anywhere. Even so, the creative team will continue to lead viewers on at Elimination Chamber.

Expect Cena to use some heelish tactics in obliterating Kane, but certainly not a full-blown heel turn. When it comes down to it Cena vs. Kane is supposed to be a battle of good vs. evil, so it really wouldn't make much sense for Cena to turn heel after beating Kane anyway.

Cena may get booed, but he is also the most popular superstar in the company by a long shot, so it's best to accept the fact that the Cena that we have seen for the past several years isn't going anywhere anytime soon.