5 of John Cena's best big matches in WWE
When it comes to greatness in the world of WWE, not many have done better than John Cena. He has been the face of the company for many years and has achieved everything it has to offer. Indeed, he is a worthy shout to be on the Mt. Rushmore of professional wrestling.
The John Cena story began in 2002 when he made his debut on SmackDown. Twenty years later, his resume is immaculate and glittered with legendary achievements. His most famous accomplishment is becoming world champion a record sixteen times, a feat matched only by the great Ric Flair.
Over the years, The Champ has earned a reputation for contesting the biggest matches in WWE history. The moniker 'Big Match John' means he has been a part of many grand matches throughout his career. Since facing Shawn Michaels in a 55-minute classic on RAW, fans have been treated to Cena's ability to elevate matches and do his bit in making them epic affairs.
On that note, we take a trip down memory lane and rank five of the biggest matches John Cena has wrestled.
#5. On our list of the best John Cena matches in WWE: John Cena vs. Randy Orton (Breaking Point 2009)
John Cena versus Randy Orton is the definitive rivalry of WWE's modern era. Even non-wrestling fans are familiar with the names of the two superstars, and they have wrestled each other countless times over the years. Of the many matchups fans have seen between Cena and Orton, one contest stands above the rest.
That is their I Quit match at Breaking Point 2009, which is a sleeper classic and one of The Franchise Player's best matches. The Viper defended his WWE title against his rival at the first-ever Breaking Point pay-per-view. The only way to win was to get your opponent to say the words 'I Quit'.
Despite Orton's boasts before the match, it was Cena who handcuffed him and trapped him in an STF, forcing him to utter those dreaded words and concede his championship. It was a brutal affair from start to finish and one that saw a heroic Cena comeback. His resilience was on full display as he took a beatdown and roared back to claim victory.
#4. John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (SummerSlam 2013)
John Cena gave the WWE Universe what they wanted when he handpicked Daniel Bryan as his opponent for SummerSlam 2013. The buildup to the match was incredible, with Bryan claiming Cena was merely a sports entertainer and not a wrestler like him. He vowed to take his title away from him and finally become the man in WWE.
The Champ would aim to prove The Beard wrong right from the off, as he took the fight to his opponent and made him eat his words. With Triple H serving as the special guest referee, the pair contested a 26-minute wrestling clinic that saw several big moves and near-falls.
In the end, it was Bryan who beat Cena and won the WWE Championship to the delight of everyone watching. However, no one could take anything away from the latter, who shut his critics up and made his opponent on the night look like a million bucks.
#3. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble 2015)
Whoever said 'two's company and three's a crowd' clearly didn't watch Brock Lesnar versus John Cena versus Seth Rollins at Royal Rumble 2015. It is one of the best triple threat matches in WWE history, hitting all the right notes and exceeding all expectations.
Lesnar was supposed to defend his WWE Championship against Cena, but The Authority adding Rollins and his Money in the Bank contract into the mix added a whole new layer of intrigue to it.
What made this match spectacular was that all three superstars hated each other and made no secret of it during the build. The match itself was a spectacle that saw near falls, suplexes, team-ups, insane spots, interference and suspense in abundance.
Despite fears that The Architect would cash in his contract, it was The Beast who prevailed in the end. He took both his opponents' best shots and pinned Mr. Money in the Bank to book his ticket for WrestleMania 31.
#2. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (Royal Rumble 2017)
It was difficult to pick between this one and the SummerSlam 2016 contest, but we went with the final match of their trifecta simply because of the history it created. John Cena challenged WWE Champion AJ Styles for his title, having lost to him twice before and needing to win more than ever.
Styles was at his absolute best at the time and walked into the Royal Rumble pay-per-view with immense confidence. He lived up to his boasts by halting Cena every time he started to build momentum and made fans believe that he genuinely had his number. Moves that have put away many superstars in the past couldn't beat The Phenomenal One, and watching the challenger descend from confidence to desperation was indeed masterful storytelling.
In the end, The Champ hit two consecutive Attitude Adjustments and put the resilient champion down for the count, and in doing so matched Ric Flair's record of 16 world titles. As far as making history goes, Cena did it in the best way possible against an elite opponent in a stupendous match.
#1. John Cena vs. CM Punk (Money in the Bank 2011)
There is an obvious debate as to whether John Cena's match against CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2011 was a better wrestling match than the previous entry. However, as a complete package, this one takes the cake, for it was a once-in-a-lifetime WWE moment that exceeded anyone's wildest expectations.
Cena walked into Punk's hometown of Chicago with the WWE Championship in hand, the title the latter declared he would win and walk out of the company with. There was an air of suspense on the night and no one could predict anything, allowing the two superstars to contest one of the greatest matches and spectacles of all time.
In front of a rowdy crowd, the champion and challenger tore the house down in a wrestling exhibition. It built to a fantastic conclusion wherein Cena refused to win in dodgy fashion and walked right into a GTS from Punk.
Three seconds later, a new champion was crowned, the future of the company was uncertain and fans cheered their hearts out at witnessing a legendary wrestling moment.
Good old Meltzer gave the match five stars, and nobody could disagree. Even though The Best in the World stole all the headlines, Cena's role in the match was equally important. The face of the company had delivered in yet another big match and his haters were forced to eat their words.