3 Shocking AEW names who defeated John Cena in WWE
Not many wrestlers have secured a victory over John Cena, as he is one of the toughest competitors in WWE history. But some AEW stars have managed to defeat The Cenation Leader in the past.
The 16-time WWE World Champion is set to hang up his wrestling boots next year. At this year's Money in the Bank, Cena disclosed that he will embark on his retirement tour in January 2025.
In this article, let's discuss the three AEW stars who defeated The Cenation Leader in WWE.
#1 PAC (fka Neville)
Before joining All Elite Wrestling, PAC was a staple on WWE television. He worked for the Stamford-based promotion from 2012 to 2018. During his tenure in the company, he had the chance to face John Cena.
In 2015, Cena was the WWE United States Champion. During his reign, he consistently held open challenges for his title and went on to defeat his opponents. On the May 11, 2015, edition of Monday Night RAW, the former Neville answered the legend's challenge and faced him in a singles match.
During this time, John Cena was in a rivalry with Rusev, who is currently known as Miro. The ending sequence of the match between The Cenation Leader and PAC saw the former Rusev ambush the challenger and then turn his attention to the champion. Since Miro first attacked PAC, the referee awarded a win via disqualification to the latter.
#2 Miro and John Cena were arch-rivals in WWE
As mentioned earlier, John Cena and Rusev were involved in a rivalry in 2015. At the time, The Bulgarian Brute was playing an anti-American character and had captured the WWE United States Championship. After laying waste to several stars in the promotion, he crossed paths with the 16-time WWE World Champion.
At Fastlane 2015, Cena challenged Rusev for the United States Championship. He tried his very best to defeat the champion but lost via technical submission.
#3 Billy Gunn
John Cena began his WWE career in 2000 and made his television debut in 2002. He was still adjusting to his surroundings in the promotion when he bumped into Billy Gunn in 2003.
In July 2003, Cena squared off against the Hall of Famer in a United States Title Tournament match. Around that time, The Franchise Player was feuding with The Undertaker.
During his bout, The Deadman distracted Cena by showing up at ringside. This allowed The Acclaimed member to take advantage of the opening and secure a shocking pinfall victory.