No man has made an impact in the landscape of WWE quite like John Cena. While the stars that came before him such as Hulk Hogan and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin were leading the charge during their respective boom periods, Cena’s contribution to the WWE is unparalleled in comparison. He was the face of the company for roughly fifteen years, dedicating a huge chunk of his life as the driving force behind the modern-day product.
This also meant that he grew to be the most polarizing figure ever while at the top, and with good reason. As fans grew in number, so did his detractors that were clamoring for new faces to have the spotlight on them. Cena dominated TV time and overshadowed many of his promising and talented peers. His Superman-esque character bordered on the surreal, overcoming the odds one too many times which led to questionable booking decisions. Many loved him, but even more hated him.
No run at the top is perfect and Cena’s is definitely far from that. Those claims by the section of the fanbase (me included, once upon a time) are very much warranted. However, it cannot be denied that no one moved the needle quite like “Big Match John”. Hogan and Austin never lasted fifteen years as the face of the WWE – but John Cena did, and he carried the company with his relentless drive and passion for the business.
Cena now has Hollywood aspirations of his own and as of this writing, has only wrestled one match this year. It’s obvious that the clock is winding down on the career of the Cenation leader. He has amassed sixteen world championship wins while he was active, tying Ric Flair for the most world title wins recognized by WWE. With that in mind, it’s certainly worth looking at his career in more ways than one, and what better avenue to focus on that the most iconic title wins of his career?
5. JOHN CENA vs. CESARO vs. KANE vs. RANDY ORTON vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. SHEAMUS vs. BRAY WYATT vs. ROMAN REIGNS – Money in the Bank 2014
After the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was vacated by Daniel Bryan due to injury, a new champion was to be crowned in a multi-man ladder match. Seemingly, all signs pointed to Roman Reigns as the biggest threat to everyone, and especially the biggest threat to The Authoritty – Triple H and Stephanie McMahon – who were the power couple running Monday Night Raw. John Cena at this time was preoccupied with Bray Wyatt, and due to the nature of the match, both men were able to qualify and bid for the title as well.
The broad-ranging styles of the competitors of the match gave way to an entertaining bout between the company’s eight most solid hands. In a twist that provided more anxiety than satisfaction, it was Cena who won the championship at the end of the night. It wasn’t expected at this point in time, but it wasn’t a surprise either knowing the reputation of “Big Match John”. At this point, it was numbing for most to see Cena on top once again, but if anything, holding both the WWE and World Heavyweight Championship made for a very impressive visual. For Cena fans, there was no better sight for them than to see him on top of the mountain.
4. JOHN CENA vs. REY MYSTERIO – Monday Night Raw (July 25, 2011)
Among the many questionable booking decisions that have tarnished Cena’s image, this one possibly ranks the highest. Rey Mysterio had just won the WWE Championship in the form of an eight-man tournament. However, he defended the title in the main event of the evening against a very determined John Cena. Mysterio already had three matches before this, and it made John Cena look less of a conquering warrior and more of a sleazy opportunist picking his spots. This was one such decision wherein Cena’s heroic character didn’t mesh with the narrative they wanted to tell.
However, Cena vs. Mysterio was a dream match in itself, and the two delivered a stellar and entertaining bout. Cena was in an awkward spot in this match as traditionally, he was the underdog in big fights like this. He and Rey, however, made it work and the match between the two was pure magic. Cena defeated Mysterio after a hard-fought battle, but due to the circumstances, it never felt like a win he deserved. Even more so when a familiar face returned to steal Cena’s thunder, carrying a WWE Championship belt of his own – CM Punk.
3. JOHN CENA vs. RANDY ORTON – Bragging Rights 2009
The man touted as John Cena’s greatest rival was Randy Orton. They were both graduates of the Ohio Valley Wrestling class of 2002, and once they debuted in the WWE, they had never looked back. Orton made a name for himself as the rising star of Evolution, the dastardly faction led by Triple H. While that was happening on Raw, Cena cut his teeth through the competition of SmackDown and made a name for himself as a fan favorite.
The two would soon meet and wrestle for the WWE Title many times, but their rivalry reached a new height in mid-2007 when Orton would physically assault Cena’s father. “The Viper” would then injure Cena, forcing the WWE Championship to be vacated. What soon followed was Orton’s title win and a constant stream of title defenses as the top dog of Raw.
Orton and Cena faced each other in a trilogy of matches in 2009 to mark the latest chapters of their feud, with the stipulations escalating as it went on. Orton retained the championship in a singles match, then Cena would force Orton to say “I Quit” in the titular match where no pinfalls and disqualifications were enforced. Orton would then cap it off by winning inside the gruesome structure known as the Hell in a Cell.
While most thought that was the end of the rivalry, a final match at Bragging Rights was to settle the score between them. It was an Iron Man match, with both willing to go the distance. While the I Quit match served as a test of fortitude and the Cell match was a demonstration of brutality, the Iron Man match was a true battle of wills. For sixty minutes straight, they would have to do battle and score the most decisions within that time frame. It was something not unheard of in WWE, but for Cena and Orton, it was something they’d never taken part of before.
Right at the opening bell, both Cena and Orton played their cards well, hitting their respective finishers unto each other to tie the score at one each. The intensity of their moves escalated with each fall in a slow and subtle manner, rendering a very effective match structure. Cena would execute an Attitude Adjustment from the top rope, and soon enough, weapons and even electronics would come into play in creative manners.
Though the match dragged on due to the time limit, it was still an enticing contest between bitter rivals. A poetic ending involving Cena countering Orton’s punt kick – the same move Randy used to put John’s father out – brought the score to an astounding six falls to five. Their Iron Man match brought their storied rivalry to a close, and for Cena, was a reminder for everyone that when it comes to main event matches, he can deliver when it matters the most.
2. JOHN CENA vs. AJ STYLES – Royal Rumble 2017
John Cena is a very solid and sound worker. However, his moveset leans more on the power side of things. He need not do acrobatics or have thunderous strikes to capture everyone’s attention. With this in mind, his matches against those that are more on the flashy side are matches made in heaven. The likes of Shawn Michaels, CM Punk and Seth Rollins have brought out the best in Cena due to the clashing of styles, but no one has been as capable a dance partner like the Phenomenal One.
During the majority of Cena’s time at the top in the late 2000’s, AJ Styles was the face of TNA Wrestling. It was a little company housed in Orlando, and it soon became the closest form of competition the WWE had in American soil. By virtue, AJ Styles was TNA’s John Cena. Their trajectories were true parallels, carrying their respective companies on their backs during most of their careers. Styles tore it up as the X-Division Champion while Cena held the United States Championship – their first pillars on the road to World Title success. Cena vs. Styles was often considered the dream match due to the auras they exuded as the true cream of the crop.
AJ Styles made even more of a name for himself during his time in New Japan Pro Wrestling, and finally did the unthinkable when he signed with WWE in 2016. Their first confrontation in the ring proved to be electric, with the crowd present firmly split down the middle. However, their first match (at Money in the Bank 2016) ended on controversial terms after Styles’ NJPW comrades, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, made the save for their “Good Brother”.
After an ending that had many leave with a sour taste in their months, another match took place at the following year’s Royal Rumble event. With Gallows and Anderson no longer backing him up, this was a straight-up showdown between two of the best and brightest to ever step foot in the ring. Styles truly brought his A-game, and Cena did his best not to be outdone. A wrestling clinic soon followed with clever reversals, a plethora of submission holds and Cena busting out four (!) Attitude Adjustments to put Styles away. It made for a breathtaking contest between both men, and a true Match of the Year contender. This was the title win that had Cena tie Ric Flair’s number, and it was a truly spectacular way to do it.
1. JOHN CENA vs. EDGE – Unforgiven 2006
While John Cena has amassed many rivals during his WWE career, arguably his first true arch-nemesis was also the first person to take his title away from him. Edge cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, which gave him the opportunity to challenge for a world title at any time and place, on Cena himself. To hammer the point home of his becoming an opportunist, this was after Cena won a hellacious Elimination Chamber match. The odds were stacked against Cena and he won against five men. He was a bloodied mess and could barely stand, but Edge merely exercised the rules of his contract.
It seemed like nothing more than a professional move, but things got personal quick.
Cena regained the title two weeks later (quite possibly the first frustrating booking decision of Cena’s career) in a match that ended quicker than a hiccup. Edge, after being made to look like a chump, upped the ante in his quest for revenge. For the second straight year, a Money in the Bank contract was cashed in on Cena. This time around though, it was a scheduled match at the ECW reunion show, One Night Stand.
The challenger, Rob Van Dam, was the home crowd favorite being an ECW alumnus. John Cena as WWE’s golden boy was a true outsider, heckled endlessly by the ECW faithful. Just when it seemed bleak for Van Dam to win the title, Edge swooped in unexpectedly and speared Cena through a table. This act, however, was not out of respect for RVD or for ECW – instead, it was out of hatred for Cena.
Edge regained the WWE title from Van Dam, and proceeded to reach a whole new level of low. Coming into Cena’s childhood home, The “Rated-R Superstar” would then vandalize Cena’s belongings and slap Cena’s father. Now more than ever, this was a blood feud and there was no turning back. Edge retained the championship via cheating in Cena’s hometown of Boston, and a rematch was set, and to say that the odds were stacked against Cena was an understatement.
The rematch took place at Unforgiven, in Edge’s hometown of Toronto, Canada, but that was merely the icing on the cake. It wasn’t just an ordinary contest this time around, but instead it was a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. It was a match Edge pioneered, and had won on three separate occasions.
The two took the fight to each other early, being the complete opposite of an athletic contest. This was a full-on brawl between both men, and the weapons complemented the scenery as if it were a human demolition derby. Edge’s then-girlfriend Lita even interfered numerous times to give the hometown boy an advantage. However, in the end, Cena performed his finishing move to Edge from the top of a ladder and onto two tables. It was a visceral sight that gave way to a satisfying finish. Cena and Edge would have more battles in the years to come, but the TLC Match stands out as something career-defining for both men.
To anyone who doubted, this was the moment that proved John Cena could hang with the big boys and he was here to stay – and for fifteen years, stay he did.
FIREBRAND WRITES ABOUT STUFF 