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John Cena, November 10, 2025
A childhood wrestling fan who would make title belts out of cardboard as a boy, John Cena began his wrestling career in 1999 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling. He would fight as The Prototype before being signed in 2001 with WWE to their developmental division, Ohio Valley Wrestling.
His WWE main roster debut came on June 27, 2002, when he answered Kurt Angle’s open challenge, proclaiming he had “ruthless aggression.” Wrestling as John Cena, he went on to nearly win his bout with Angle and displayed potential that would later come to fruition.
“The Champ” initially did not resonate with fans and was in danger of losing his job when he was overheard by Stephanie McMahon and Paul Heyman freestyle rapping on a tour bus. This led to his famous “Doctor of Thuganomics” persona, ultimately saving his career. Cena’s first championship title win came at WrestleMania 20 on March 14, 2004, where he defeated The Big Show to win the United States Championship.
After a legendary career, during the tail end of his Retirement Tour, Cena achieved Grand Slam status on November 10, 2025, during Monday Night Raw in Boston, Massachusetts, by defeating Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship.
John Cena is recognized as the most decorated wrestler in WWE, considered by many as the GOAT. He has won a record-setting 17 WWE World Championships and holds the record for the most WWE Championship wins at 14.
The Guinness Book of Records credits him as having the longest babyface run at an incredible 7,786 days before turning heel at Elimination Chamber on March 1, 2025. Cena’s final WWE match will come at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, 2025.
One of the most prestigious honors in the industry, there have been 13 Male Grand Slam winners in WWE since the modern format reconfiguration in 2015, with Edge taking the crown on January 8, 2006.
Currently, seven superstars are still chasing that elusive title that would elevate them to this elite group: CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Damien Priest, Sami Zayn, Sheamus, and Shinsuke Nakamura. Whichever superstar is next to conquer the final piece of the Grand Slam puzzle will undoubtedly secure their WWE legacy.
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