This weekend’s Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII will be John Cena’s final match in the WWE. Ending his “Last Time Is Now” tour in a big way, so fans can bid one final farewell to one of the biggest names in professional wrestling history.
That’s why now is the perfect time to look back at ten moments that defined John Cena’s incredible 23-year career.
WWE Television Debut vs. Kurt Angle – 2002
John Cena’s WWE TV debut happened on SmackDown when he answered an open challenge made by Olympic gold-medalist Kurt Angle, which was a pretty bold move. When he got to the ring, he bluntly declared he had “Ruthless Aggression” before slapping the veteran and starting the match.
Although Cena ultimately lost, his performance and charismatic attitude immediately got fans talking and were the beginning of one of WWE’s most significant careers.
First United States Championship vs. Big Show, WrestleMania 20 – 2004
At WrestleMania 20 in Madison Square Garden, Cena defeated Big Show to win his first-ever title in WWE, the United States Championship. He used his trademark determination and tactical brass knuckles before delivering an Attitude Adjustment to secure the victory.
First WWE Championship Win at WrestleMania 21 – 2005
In a defining career breakthrough, Cena challenged WWE Champion JBL and won his first WWE Championship, positioning him as the face of the company. Although he had previously won the United States Championship, this moment was his first world-title triumph and a huge turning point in his ascent in WWE.
The Birth of “You Can’t See Me” and the “Doctor of Thuganomics”
Back in 2002, Cena’s career was struggling until he cracked out his rapper alter ego. The iconic “You Can’t See Me” taunt has its roots in a dare by his younger brother, Sean, who performed a silly dance who was doing dance inspired by rapper Tony Yayo’s move in a G-Unit music video. Cena gave it a go and said the line on a low-rated show called Velocity, thinking nobody would see it. The character transformation and signature gesture became a worldwide phenomenon and saved his WWE career.
TLC Match vs. Edge at Unforgiven 2006
One of Cena’s most brutal and unforgettable matches has to be at Unforgiven, where he put everything on the line in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs showdown for the WWE Championship against his longtime rival, Edge.
This match definitely had its share of high-risk moves and physical work, including Cena delivering an Attitude Adjustment through two tables, and is widely remembered as one of his most physically demanding and epic clashes.
John Cena’s Iconic War of words with the Rock – 2012
The rivalry between John Cena and The Rock took a steep nosedive into personal territory before they finally went head-to-head at WrestleMania 28. A defining promo happened during a blow-for-blow verbal exchange on the February 27, 2012, episode of Raw, where Cena, seemingly going off-script, exposed one of ‘The Great One’s secrets.
Knocking The Rock for being a bit too reliant on his catchphrases, Cena dished out a particularly low blow: “I don’t need words like ‘respect’ and ‘loyalty’ to trend worldwide, just like I don’t need my notes for my promo on my wrist. Nice tattoo,” he said.
This unscripted moment of truth caught The Rock by surprise and added more realism to the storyline. It fueled suspicions that the dislike between the two genuinely ran deep and created a real sense that the hatred between these two was real, and left everyone itching to see them go at it in the ring.
Royal Rumble match vs. AJ Styles – 2017
At the 2017 Royal Rumble, Cena took down the WWE Champion AJ Styles to grab the WWE title once again. That win was huge and not just because of what it meant at the time, but also because it tied him with Ric Flair’s legendary record of 16 world titles, one of the most iconic championship accomplishments in wrestling history.
Record-Breaking Work with Make-A-Wish
Beyond the character he played on screen, John Cena’s humanitarian efforts have become a core part of his lasting legacy. He currently holds the Guinness World Record for making the most wishes come true for the Make-A-Wish foundation, with over 650 of those wishes fulfilled.
It’s also his off-screen work that’s been a defining aspect of his impact, and it arguably carries way more weight than any of his wrestling moments.
Surprise Return at Royal Rumble 2008
Cena was supposed to be out for 7 long months with a torn pectoral muscle, but he had other plans. Not 3 months later, he made a shocking, unannounced return as the 30th entrant in the Royal Rumble at Madison Square Garden. The crowd went wild, and his subsequent win is legendary.
US Championship Open Challenge
In 2015, Cena really put the U.S. title on the map with a weekly open invite he’d issue on Raw. A challenge that the top talent from around the promotion would answer. And the matches that came out of it were high-quality and not a single one was even a pay-per-view match, which earned him critical acclaim.
Controversial Heel Turn at Elimination Chamber – 2025
On March 2, 2025, at the Elimination Chamber night, something happened for the very first time in over twenty years. The unthinkable occurred when John Cena finally turned heel in a shocking moment of betrayal after Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes rejected an offer from The Rock to “sell his soul.”
Cena, who had just won the Elimination Chamber match, embraced Rhodes. However, after receiving a subtle signal from The Rock, Cena delivered a low blow to Rhodes with a cold, blank look on his face, initiating a brutal assault. Cena, alongside rapper Travis Scott, then beat Rhodes with a gold Rolex and the championship belt, leaving “The American Nightmare” bloody in the ring.
