{"id":125746,"date":"2024-07-12T10:18:22","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T14:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=125746"},"modified":"2024-07-12T10:18:22","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T14:18:22","slug":"the-time-is-now-greatest-wwe-matches-of-john-cena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/07\/12\/the-time-is-now-greatest-wwe-matches-of-john-cena\/","title":{"rendered":"The Time Is Now: Greatest WWE Matches of John Cena"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><em><strong>Money in the Bank<\/strong><\/em> had many great moments, but perhaps the most shocking of those moments was <strong>John Cena&#8217;s<\/strong> huge announcement. The former &#8220;Face That Runs The Place&#8221; made a surprise return and announced that next year would be his last in <strong>WWE<\/strong>. We all knew it<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0was coming, just not when the clock would start. Well, it begins now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Now that Cena has said his time is <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">coming to an <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">end,<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">it\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> the perfect time to look back at the career that was.<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">career<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that included some of the best matches in the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">history of the company<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. Which one, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">you<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> ask? Well, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">let\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> take a look below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i4AmDOSEDoo?si=7p0j5mCysOjhmAce\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. CM Punk (Money in the Bank 2011)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/idJi_cV4Wmw?si=eGPPEY2I6uvGjJuR\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We might as well start with the low-hanging fruit. Cena announced his retirement at <em>Money in the Bank<\/em>, which is fitting because it was the sight of one of his <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">greatest<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> contests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>CM Punk<\/strong> and Cena have been in the ring countless times, each <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">of them<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> being great matches, but none reached the level that this one did.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena was never known for his great in-ring work, but he put everyone in their place for this match. He matched Punk move for move and even busted out a few ones <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">that we<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">haven\u2019t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> seen from the Cenation leader. It was a welcome change of pace from his usual matches.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What sets this match apart is not the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">wrestling,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> but the story told within the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">match<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> wanting to do the right thing while still besting Punk was <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">wonderful<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. The fans bought into everything the two men did, and the finish produced a <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">truly<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> shocking moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. AJ Styles (SummerSlam 2016)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iVFXHdrqY0U?si=zcZnqEL_4XN9QwTs\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>AJ Styles<\/strong> turning heel on John Cena was the catalyst for <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">what might be<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> the best two matches of either <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">man&#8217;s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> career. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Their <em><strong>Royal Rumble<\/strong><\/em> encounter was a classic, but <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">it was their <em><strong>SummerSlam<\/strong><\/em> battle that<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> gets the edge here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Styles will always be known<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> as one of the best in-ring workers in wrestling history, but Cena was no slouch for this match. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">They had a great build that<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> included some of the best reversals anyone has seen.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> It was a great match that had the fans out of their seats for the duration. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Especially,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> during the countless false finishes, each having more drama attached to it than the last.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The false finishes were done<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> so well that Styles going over clean was a huge shock. There <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">wasn\u2019t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> a person in the arena who believed this would happen and was overjoyed when it did.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE Raw, 2007)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qNJsrtTsAM4?si=HZowTutOwdq5mYYG\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">An injury to <strong>Triple H<\/strong> set up <strong>Shawn Michaels<\/strong> as the man to try and wrestle the WWE Championship away from John <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> at Wrestlemania. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While the match was <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">good<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> it paled <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">in comparison<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to what they put together when <em><strong>Raw<\/strong><\/em> went across the pond in 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Emanating from the UK<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0a <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">rematch was booked between the two <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> they put on a banger of a match. This match <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">went on<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> for an astonishing 56 minutes before <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a winner was finally decided<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. The Cena haters will say that <strong>HBK<\/strong> carried him, but a <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">match<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">doesn\u2019t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> last for nearly an hour unless both men are great at their jobs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena was up to <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the task of<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> matching <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">HBK\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> energy, and that match was all the better for it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As a theme of this list <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">most<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> of <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> best matches ended in defeat, but that shows how great he was. Cena put HBK over on this night and gave the crowd a happy ending.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar (Royal Rumble 2015)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QvVshBLZ8GY?si=4eqaxGmJnKrTGwAP\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Great Triple Threat Matches <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">have to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> include a few key points to get <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">themselves<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> over.<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was a match that had all of them and then some.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">First, there was the star power of Cena and <strong>Brock Lesnar<\/strong> <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">coupled with<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> the fledging star <strong>Seth Rollins<\/strong>. It was a unique combination that none of us had seen before and was chomping at the bit to see.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Second, the action never stopped. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There was<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> the interchanging of wrestlers <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">that<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> provided intriguing matchups and <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">also<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> some fantastic wrestling when all three were in the ring.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> The teaming up of Rollins and Cena is a particular highlight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lastly, there was a sense of uncertainty surrounding the match. Despite what some may <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">think<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> there was an<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> \u201c<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">up in the air<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201d <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">quality to the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">match<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. Would Cena go over? Would Lesnar retain it? Would Rollins cash in his Money in the Bank? It was a great way to take us on a journey.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules 2012)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kU553MOaBdM?si=fMWLRnaTbxDbGSNS\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Brock Lesnar made his triumphant return in 2012. It got <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">an amazing<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> pop and one that continued when Lesnar took out John Cena. It was the logical choice for <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lesnar\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> first feud, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and it was something<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> they continued for years. But it was their first match that stood out from their other counters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8216;The Beast&#8217; is a stiff <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">worker,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that is what <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">you\u2019re<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> going to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> get with him, and you better buckle your seatbelts. Cena was more than up to the task of matching <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lesnar&#8217;s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> hard-hitting style. There was nothing pretty during this match. It was not a pretty match but <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">one that<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> looked <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">light<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> a real fight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">hardcore nature of the match helped to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> amp up the big fight feel.<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Any foreign object used was done<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> so with more malice than any of us could muster. These <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">were two men who<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> had no interest other than beating each other down. It was the perfect way to reintroduce Lesnar to the WWE.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (SummerSlam 2013)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8GFYjNgL9EU?si=pMn6kHWuP1XVcOaB\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Yes, Cena has a history of not putting the right people over, but <strong>Daniel Bryan<\/strong> is an example of Cena doing <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">what\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> best for business. In 2013 <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bryan<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was handpicked by Cena to wrestle him for the WWE <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Championship,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> at <em>SummerSlam<\/em>. It was a bold move <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and one<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that was polarizing amongst the fans and the office.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As with many of John <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> matches, this one included some of the best false finishes in company history. It was a skill that Cena was not given enough credit for. No one could put together a finish to a match better than the &#8216;<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Doctor of <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Thuganomics<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.&#8217;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bryan going over clean here was the biggest story<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, but<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> for Cena as well.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> He could have chosen to have a screwy finish to protect his character, but he instead helped to create a megastar<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Another<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> reason why Cena is the greatest.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. Edge (Unforgiven 2006)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7FVpDgJJMSo?si=kORbxEtl4G3tTYJu\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There may be no better <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">feud<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> in <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> early <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">career,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that did as much for him as when he faced <strong>Edge<\/strong>.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Edge was the perfect heel to go against the squeaky-clean persona of Cena. He was easy to hate and produced some great matches with Cena, most notably their TLC Match at <em><strong>Unforgiven<\/strong><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">One-on-one ladder matches are hard to pull off. They can lag in parts, but Edge and Cena had no problem keeping the crowd engaged. There were some great spots but also great storytelling in between. It is a blueprint for how one-on-one ladder matches should <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">be booked<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ladder matches were <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">supposed to be<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Edge\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> specialty <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">but<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> not on that night. Cena was right to the task and was more of a driving force for the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">match<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. He <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">put in<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> incredible work, especially portraying a tweener role for the pro-Edge crowd. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It showed how layered of a performer Cena was and that he was ready to take the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">weight of the company<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. Cesaro (WWE Raw, 2015)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i0nsoap5JBY?si=UBZ1HEeCrClOkYOb\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena winning the United States Championship <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">wasn\u2019t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> a great <em><strong>WrestleMania<\/strong><\/em> moment, but it did produce some greatness <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">down the line<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. His &#8216;United States Open Challenge&#8217; was fantastic and gave underutilized talents the chance to shine, for example, &#8216;The Swiss Superman&#8217; <strong>Cesaro<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cesaro\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> challenge against Cena was one of the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">best matches of the year<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> It was a showdown of two powerhouses and a war of attrition. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Both men used every ounce of their strength <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">trying<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to outdo the other <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> it<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was awesome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">They also sprinkled in some <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">great<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> technical wrestling for the purists in us. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> combined with some great <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">uppercuts<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> made for <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a great<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> encounter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was a <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">great<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> instance of Cena getting a wrestler over. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The crowd loved Cesaro, but <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">it was <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> endorsement that<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> made the office take notice.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> It was another feather in the cap for Cena.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. The Rock (WrestleMania XXVIII)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xYudJwkjDVo?si=TXF1SrlQngWByV45\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Before it became &#8216;Twice in a Lifetime,&#8217; <strong>The Rock<\/strong> and John <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena\u2019s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> rivalry was one of the best things on television. It blurred the lines of reality as everyone knew there was <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a ton of<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> heat between the two icons. The build was second to none <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> it paid off well when Cena and The Rock stepped into the ring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Some were nervous that The Rock <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">was going to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> gas out quickly, but his conditioning held up. He and Cena defied many expectations. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There was<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> more wrestling and big spots <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">with this match<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> than any would have predicted.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> A lot of credit has to go to Cena, as he was the one calling <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the majority<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> of the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">match<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. He understood the gravity of the moment and delivered the goods.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The main event of <em><strong>WrestleMania XXVIII<\/strong><\/em> could have gone either way. Even though The Rock was the returning hero <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cena<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was the man <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> who knows what the office <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">was going to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> do. It was a testament to the star power of both men.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">John Cena vs. Kevin Owens (Elimination Chamber 2015)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E96ZDSLr2qU?si=VeOJu17m9I8UzqEZ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here is <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">yet<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> another case of &#8216;Big Match John&#8217; putting on a classic match while putting over a younger star. <strong>Kevin Owens<\/strong> was the loudmouth champion of <em><strong>NXT<\/strong><\/em> that had no respect for Cena. He <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">made his way out<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to confront the United States Champion and took a cheap shot. It set up a fantastic &#8216;Champion vs. Champion&#8217; showdown at <em><strong>Elimination Chamber<\/strong><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Both men are more agile than they are given credit for. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was just not a power move vs power move match. There was more subtlety to the contest with great wrestling and spot-on storytelling. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was a match you wanted to watch and <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">didn\u2019t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> want to end.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Of course, it did <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">end,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> with what may be one of the more shocking endings in history. We all knew that Owens <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">was going to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> be a <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">star,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> on the main roster, but no one could have expected him to go over Cena on the first try. Once again, the Golden Shovel of John Cena boosted another star.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013 Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0for more on WWE NXT Heatwave and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/watch.wwe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Network<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Peacock<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Money in the Bank had many great moments, but perhaps the most shocking of those moments was John Cena&#8217;s huge announcement. The former &#8220;Face That Runs The Place&#8221; made a surprise return and announced that next year would be his last in WWE. We all knew it\u00a0was coming, just not when the clock would start. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4518,"featured_media":125749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2192,4,3],"tags":[8674,145,57,140,328,165,73,76,395],"class_list":["post-125746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wrestling","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-adam-copeland","tag-aj-styles","tag-brock-lesnar","tag-cm-punk","tag-edge","tag-john-cena","tag-kevin-owens","tag-seth-rollins","tag-shawn-michaels"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4518"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125746"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125746\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}