While WWE is celebrating John Cena month this June as the Leader of Cenation made his SmackDown debut 20 years ago in this very month, we thought of paying our tribute to the legendary wrestler as well. In this article, we will take a look at 5 of John Cena’s best matches of all time.
5. John Cena versus CM Punk – Money in the bank 2011
John Cena’s legendary WWE career is an inspiration to every aspiring wrestler. In the 20 years since his debut on SmackDown, Cena churned out one spectacular match after another. CM Punk might not have been in WWE for two decades but his impact in a short period was unrealistic.
Punk’s in-ring acumen coupled with his promo skills made him a fan favorite. So when John Cena and CM Punk faced each other in the 2011 Money in the Bank pay-per-view, fans were on the edge of their seats expecting a thriller. They were not disappointed. The pay-per-view took place in Chicago, which is Punk’s hometown. Add to it the fact that Punk was the challenger for Cena’s WWE Championship and you could fathom the excitement in Chicago for the match. Fans watching from the comforts of their home were equally tensed to know the outcome.
The match was an absolute masterpiece and it ebbed and flowed rivetingly. Punk survived numerous Attitude Adjustments. The match had a twist in the end. Punk had begun a storyline with Vince McMahon where the boss despised the Straightedge Superstar. McMahon came down to the stage area and wanted to gift the match to Cena but the latter wanted to win by himself. Punk took advantage of Cena’s momentary distraction to pick up the victory. Punk won all the plaudits but Cena also received huge praise for putting in a great shift.
4. John Cena versus The Rock – WrestleMania 29
John Cena lost to The Rock at WrestleMania 28. Cena mentioned during his promos how he needed to win at WrestleMania 29. Both Cena and Rock are two of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time and their duel was keenly watched all around the world.
Both men countered each other’s finisher on numerous occasions. Cena locked in the STF a few times but Rock persevered. The Brahma Bull also used the Sharpshooter but it only managed to wear out Cena and nothing more.
When they did manage to hit their respective finishers, it did not result in a two count until Cena managed to counter a Rock Bottom and delivered the final AA to get the victory. Rock had suffered legitimate injuries after this fight. Both men hugged each other after the match as fans stood up on their feet to applaud the two geniuses of pro wrestling.
3. John Cena versus Daniel Bryan – SummerSlam 2013
Daniel Bryan became a huge fan favorite and received a great storyline where he was fighting against the wicked Authority members with the WWE Universe behind him.
John Cena handpicked Bryan saying no one was more deserving to get a shot at the WWE Championship than the leader of the Yes! movement. Cena and Bryan had a great match with Triple H being the special guest referee. The Game had issues with Bryan but he did call the match right down the middle. Both the competitors showed some new moves during the match and one of them got the victory, Bryan.
Bryan’s finishing move was the Yes lock but Cena was never going to tap out. So Bryan had to come up with something that could be believable, something which could seem like a finisher that could be hard to kick out of. Bryan debuted the Running Knee as his finisher to knock out Cena and win the WWE Championship. His joy was short-lived though as Triple H pedigreed him after the match and Randy Orton successfully cashed in the Money in the Bank contract to become the new WWE Champion.
Anyway, the match between Cena and Bryan was exceptional and is certainly one of the best matches in Bryan’s historic career as well.
2. Batista versus John Cena – Extreme Rules 2009 (Last Man Standing Match)
Batista was the monster heel during this feud. The Animal failed to retain the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 26 as he tapped out to the STF from John Cena. Batista invoked his rematch clause for Extreme Rules and announced that the match would be a Last Man Standing match. He even called Cena’s win at WrestleMania a fluke.
The match was as brutal as it gets. Cena took a lot of beating but he showed heart to stay in the fight. Batista hit Cena with multiple chair shots. The former Evolution member sent Cena through a table on two occasions. He also sent Cena crashing through the barricade.
Cena was not entirely passive though. He delivered a devastating AA to Batista who fell crashing through the announce desk. Cena tried to weaken Batista’s leg with the STF so that the Animal would not be able to get back up. In the end, Cena resorted to something unique to win the match. He crotched Batista on the ring post. Cena used duct tape to tape Batista’s legs together with the ring post in between them. Batista tried desperately to free himself but could not. The referee counted to 10 as Cena managed to retain the title.
1. Shawn Michaels versus John Cena – Last RAW before Backlash 2007
This match is considered by many the most excellent wrestling match of all time. This was a rematch from the Shawn Michaels versus John Cena bout at WrestleMania 23. Cena was the WWE Champion back then. Michaels had challenged him for the title at The Show of Shows and they delivered a special match. Cena won the bout much to the chagrin of the WWE Universe who was rooting for the legendary HBK.
Michales and Cena faced each other once again in a non-title match on the last episode of RAW before the Backlash pay-per-view in 2007.
This match went on for over 50 minutes and when it ended, everybody was left wanting for more. The match was that good. We rarely see a match go on for over 50 minutes on RAW. WWE even had to cancel the Edge versus Randy Orton match due to time constraints.
Michaels and Cena took each other’s finishers numerous times and managed to be kicked out in the nick of time. In the end, Michaels countered the AA and delivered a Sweet Chin Music to pick up a clean victory over Cena. Fans were in awe after experiencing this match. Cena vs Michaels won the Match of the Year award for 2007 from Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
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