John Cena is an all-time legend and no one will deny when we call him a future first ballot WWE Hall of Famer after his immense contribution to the company. The Leader of Cenation carried WWE on his shoulders for a number of years and helped to keep the fans engaged during the transition phase from the Attitude Era to the PG era.
In this article, we will take a look at 5 of his best championship-winning matches and moments.
5. AJ Styles (c) versus John Cena – WWE Championship, Royal Rumble 2017
Both these legendary wrestlers are of the same age. While John Cena was a household name for his tremendous performances in WWE for many years, AJ Styles was producing some of the best wrestling matches of all time in other promotions. Styles’ best matches came during his time in TNA and if you have not seen his matches over there then you must surf the internet and have a watch. The Phenomenal One rarely disappointed.
So when AJ signed up for WWE in 2016, fans waited to see these two generational superstars collide in the ring. Before the match at Royal Rumble 2017 match between them, they faced each other in one-on-one matches on a couple of occasions. The score was settled at 1-1.
The stage was set as the two icons squared off. Styles and Cena delivered the Phenomenal Forearm and the Attitude Adjustment respectively, very early on in the match. However, the match did not get over that soon. Both men wrestled an intense and physical match with many epic spots.
In the end, it was Cena who came out victorious to win his 16th world championship in WWE, equalling the two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair’s tally for the most world championship reigns in the history of the company.
4. Batista (c) versus John Cena – WrestleMania XXVI, WWE Championship
Batista and John Cena have a great deal of respect for each other. Cena was the face of RAW during the Ruthless Aggression Era while Batista was arguably the top guy on SmackDown, feuding with the likes of JBL, The Undertaker, The Great Khali, and many more.
When the two veterans met 12 years ago at WrestleMania 26, all hell broke loose. The Animal’s explosiveness and power met the resilience and heart of Cena at The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Batista was the heel going into this match. He was irate as WWE projected Cena as “the man” and not him. Cena had replied saying that Batista does it for money while he does it for the love of it and the moments.
The time for talking was over as both men stepped into the ring at The Show of Shows. Batista put his WWE Championship on the line. In a grueling match, both men had their moments. Cena kicked out of several Batista Bombs and the former Evolution member also kicked out of a few Attitude Adjustments. In the end, Cena managed to win the championship by making Batista tap out to the STF.
3. Randy Orton (c) versus John Cena – Bragging Rights 2009, WWE Championship (Anything goes 60-minute Iron man match)
Two of the best superstars of their generation have a great bond outside the ring but have had great rivalries while in WWE. The Apex Predator is one of Cena’s all-time great rivals.
It was a treat for the WWE Universe to watch them face each other for sixty minutes at a stretch. Cena picked up the first fall as Orton tapped out almost immediately to the STF. Orton leveled the score with the RKO.
The third fall of the match was spectacular. Cena delivered the AA and Orton managed to counter mid-air to deliver the RKO. Both men fell on the mat with one arm on each other with their shoulders down. The referee counted to 3 and both men doubled their score at the same time.
Cena picked up the lead with a Super AA. Orton leveled the score once again thanks to his Legacy stablemates Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes.
Towards the climax, Cena and Orton were locked at 5-5 as the former had locked in the STF. The Viper tapped out with 5 seconds left on the clock to give Cena a hard-fought victory.
2. John Cena versus Edge (c) – Unforgiven 2006, WWE Championship (TLC match)
John Cena was slowly but surely rising the ranks earning praise for his resilient performances every week. He managed to overcome all obstacles thrown in front of him. However, in a TLC match against Edge in Toronto, Canada? The odds were against Cena in this one. We will explain why.
Firstly, Edge already was a legend of TLC matches. He was undefeated in TLC matches going into the bout with Cena. To make things more unfavorable for Cena, the pay-per-view was held in Toronto which is the home of the Rated-R Superstar.
Edge and Cena had a spectacular match as the idea of having the latter overcome all obstacles was served. Edge made Cena look like a star and at the same time earned praise for his own performance.
The finish to the match was staggering as Cena delivered an AA from the top of a 16-foot ladder to Edge who crashed through two tables stacked one on top of the other. Cena became the new WWE Champion as his legacy grew stronger after the stupendous match.
1. The Rock (c) versus John Cena – WrestleMania XXIX, WWE Championship
This was the second installment of the feud between two of the best wrestlers of all time. They only faced each other one time prior to this. It was at the previous year’s WrestleMania event. Rock won back then as Cena was left shattered after the loss.
During his promos ahead of WrestleMania 29, Cena mentioned how he needed to win against The Rock. In the first match at WrestleMania 28, it seemed as if Cena had the match won when he got a tad ahead of himself and tried to hit the Brahma Bull with his own move. Rock managed to shock Cena and pick up the win.
Cena did not make any mistake the second time as both men delivered a match for the ages. The Rock suffered legitimate torn muscles and tendons around his pelvis from the match.
They countered each other’s finishers on a number of occasions and in the end, Cena countered a Rock Bottom to hit the AA for the victory.
Both the amazing athletes shook hands after the match and hugged each other. They recognized each other’s greatness as the fans got to see an unforgettable moment shared by two legends. Cena left the ring with his title to allow The Rock to bask in the applause from the fans in attendance. Greatness recognized greatness on the night.
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