At this weekend’s historic Saturday Night’s Main Event card, John Cena will compete in a WWE ring for the final time. The pro wrestling icon has had many legendary matches and unforgettable moments that will live on forever. For a career that has spanned two decades and has had so many high points, many major moments can be overlooked.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of the most underappreciated moments in John Cena’s incomparable career.
The United States Open Challenge
Cena has won every title WWE has had during his career, including the top belt 17 times. Yet, a case could be made that his run as United States champion was the best because of the US Open challenge. Did he face main event talent each week? No, but that was sort of the point. The challenge offered opportunities to performers outside the main event and world title picture. It benefited a host of rising stars, but most importantly, it was the period that showed he was a far better wrestler than he got credit for.
First Loss to AJ Styles at MITB 2016
AJ Styles is a guaranteed Hall of Famer, and his run in WWE showed why he is, arguably, the greatest performer of his generation. However, who knows if any of that happens if Cena doesn’t take a clean loss to him in 2016 at Money in the Bank?
It was a pivotal moment in Styles’ WWE run, and there were some doubts after an average stint as a baby face. Turning heel, feuding with the company legend, and getting a win in their first bout was massive for his career and was the moment when another legendary run began.
The Firefly Funhouse Match at WrestleMania 36
WrestleMania 36 during the COVID pandemic was one of the few entertainment highlights during a tough time for the world. It was the first time the company split the show into two nights, and they delivered some memorable moments. One that gets forgotten is the firefly funhouse match between John Cena and Bray Wyatt.
It was a bizarre yet entertaining cinema match that showed off some different sides of the GOAT, including donning an nWo shirt and showing some heel elements. In the end, Cena took another clean L to help further the rise of “The Fiend,” and he entertained millions in the process.
Losing to Kevin Owens at Elimination Chamber 2015
Before Cena took a surprising loss to help elevate Styles, he first did it a year earlier for Kevin Owens. At the time, he was the NXT champion and was viewed as just a talented prospect. However, his feud with Cena put him on the map with main roster fans. Then his stunning win at Elimination Chamber 2015 solidified him as a real star on the rise. Kicking off another legendary run for someone else.
Helping Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40
Not every great Cena moment comes as a competitor in a match. A perfect example was his surprise run-in at WrestleMania 40. When his music hit, fans in Philadelphia lost it, as he ran to the ring and battered Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa. When The Rock then came out to confront him, it created an iconic ‘Mania moment. Helping fan-favorite Cody Rhodes finally finish the story was the icing on the cake.
Exposing The Rock’s Promo Cheat in 2012
Speaking of The Rock, the pair had a very lengthy build to their match at WrestleMania in 2012. The rivalry included many memorable verbal clashes, but the most unforgettable was when Cena brought attention to the fact that The Rock had written his promo notes on his wrist during an episode of Raw.
It was a rare moment when someone badly dressed down “The Brahma Bull” on the mic. It was a nasty moment — in a good way — that showed the leader of the Ce-Nation could go toe-to-toe on the mic with the greats on the Attitude Era.
John Cena vs. ECW at ‘One Night Stand’
Cena deserves a lot of credit for carrying the WWE flag into an extremely hostile crowd at the first ECW: One Night Stand event. He was the thesis of what the WWE product was at the time, and the ECW loyalists in the Hammerstein Ballroom absolutely hated it. But he handled it like a true professional and looked unafraid in the moment. In the end, he did what he often does, and gave the fans what they wanted. Losing the WWE title to Rob Van Dam on that night in 2005.
Introducing the Spinner Belt
One of the most divisive things John Cena did during his WWE career was turning both the United States and WWE titles into spinner belts. Some absolutely hated the change, and others loved it. But in the end, it was another example of Cena expanding beyond the norms of wrestling and trying something different that connected to pop culture at the time. It made him stand out even more during the era and added him to a small list of legends who brought a major change to the world title.
