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Each generation has one wrestling megastar. Bruno Sammartino was the very first. Hulk Hogan followed suit. And then came John Cena. Hear me out. Put down your pitchforks. If you're a John Cena hater, I'd suggest you read on. If you're a fan, then happy reading.
Ever since his explosive debut in 2002,John Cena has never looked back. He has faced nearly every superstar, won almost every accolade there is to win, and sold millions of dollars' worth merchandise.
With that being said, he has had a career full of highlights, and it'd be difficult to pick the top 5 moments of them all. But since we have a lot of free time and a lot of John Cena adoration, we have compiled a list. Although your opinion on Cena may differ, please bear with me and read on.
This piece is dedicated to the vast Cenation as we relive John Cena's 5 greatest moments in the WWE.
1. The debut
In 2002,Kurt Angle was thriving in the role of a hated heel. On the June 27, 2002 episode of Smackdown,he laid down an open challenge to the locker room to face him. What happened next would change the wrestling world forever.
A rookie John Cena answered the challenge, and beat the ever loving hell out of Angle. He almost defeated the established superstar, and made an immediate impression in the minds of the WWE Universe. His spectacular debut was further enhanced by various legends such as Ron Simmons and, get this, The Undertaker himself commending the rookie on his match.
It was this debut that probably kicked off the Ruthless Aggression era which spawned even more stars like Batista and Randy Orton.
Although it took Cena a bit of time to find his shtick as a white rapper, a first impression was already made. You'd wish WWE would provide such impactful debuts today, but...you know...it's a topic for another list.
2. First WWE Championship victory
John Cena soon entered into a feud with JBL, who himself had had an out of the blue main event push. Reinventing himself as a 'Wrestling God' (yeah, right), he had become the main heel on the blue brand.
Enter Cena, who was white hot with his rapper gimmick taking off to unprecedented heights. The crowd reactions were off the charts, and JBL was a genuinely hated heel. This was a recipe for a smashing success, and successful it was.
These two superstars collided at Wrestlemania 21, where Cena picked up the win after an AA. Though the match quality was subpar, the first championship victory of John Cena overshadowed every drawback of pitting an inexperienced superstar with a below subpar worker in JBL.
The emotional moment was a coronation - the coronation of the face of WWE.
3. Royal Rumble surprise
John Cena had torn his pectoral muscle while executing an arm drag, and was supposed to be out of action for six months. However, being the SuperCena that he is, he healed like Wolverine.
The 2008 Royal Rumble was hosted by the sacred Madison Square Garden. 29 superstars had made their way to the ring, and the crowd was waiting for #30 with bated breath. The countdown finished, and sirens blared across the arena. John Cena came out to a rapturous ovation as the roof blew off the place.
He then won the Royal Rumble, and solidified his place in the main event of Wrestlemania. This moment stands out as there was no booing nor jeers, only proud adulation.
4. US Championship Open Challenge
This storyline is probably one of John Cena's greatest. He had a complete renaissance after winning the title from Rusev. He pledged to make the title more prestigious, and he did it in absolutely exciting fashion.
Hosting an open challenge every week, he had amazing matches with various superstars like Cesaro, Sami Zayn, etc. This angle elevated the title, at the same time removing doubts about the champ's in-ring prowess.
It's also worth mentioning that Kevin Owens got a dream main roster introduction when he beat Cena senseless under the pretense of answering his open challenge.
5. Feud with CM Punk
John Cena vs CM Punk is a rivalry that needs no introduction. The two were the complete antithesis of each other, with Cena being a purebred WWE performer, while Punk was a beloved indie sensation.
Although they were as opposite as black and white, they had cracking chemistry in the ring. Each match of theirs was must watch, and the promo segments a treat.
If there was ever a list of John Cena's greatest rivals, Punk would surely be near the top of the list. This feud was fire and everyone knows it.
