{"id":148233,"date":"2025-12-10T09:00:44","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T14:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=148233"},"modified":"2025-12-10T00:43:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T05:43:13","slug":"the-5-best-john-cena-wwe-ple-main-events-ranked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/10\/the-5-best-john-cena-wwe-ple-main-events-ranked\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Best John Cena WWE PLE Main Events, Ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Unquestionably, John Cena is one of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. Cena&#8217;s WWE career is iconic, and he has captivated audiences for many years. Whether wrestling fans have shown their admiration for Cena or shown their displeasure, there&#8217;s no denying Cena&#8217;s loyalty to WWE.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, with Cena being one of the biggest names in WWE history and the face that&#8217;s run the place for two decades strong, there&#8217;s no surprise that he&#8217;s generally featured in major WWE PLE main events.<\/p>\n<p>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/09\/john-cenas-5-best-wwe-world-title-wins-ranked\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">John Cena&#8217;s 5 Best WWE World Title Wins, Ranked<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The 17-time WWE world champion featured in countless extraordinary WWE PLE main events and faced some of the all-time greats. The likes of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, The Rock, Edge, Randy Orton, and CM Punk are some iconic legends who have closed out a WWE PLE main event against Cena. Cena&#8217;s been very fortunate and earned the right to close out so many main events throughout his career.<\/p>\n<p>A few honorable mentions in some of Cena&#8217;s best WWE PLE main events include his battle with JBL over the WWE Championship in an &#8220;I Quit&#8221; match at Judgment Day 2005. His clash with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 23 was for the World Tag Team Champions, going toe-to-toe over the WWE Championship.<\/p>\n<p>John Cena&#8217;s clash with The Rock at WrestleMania 28, and recently Cena&#8217;s 17th WWE world championship reign, culminated in a Street Fight at SummerSlam 2025.<\/p>\n<h2>5. John Cena Vs. Brock Lesnar &#8211; Extreme Rules 2012<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL MATCH: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar | Extreme Rules Match: Extreme Rules 2012\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Z2dse5Ckbo0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>There was a lot to unpack on the Raw after WrestleMania 28. John Cena was reeling after losing to The Rock in the main event of WrestleMania 28. However, Cena&#8217;s nightmare was beginning as Brock Lesnar returned to WWE for the first time in eight years, and he laid out Cena with an F-5. This led to Cena and Lesnar closing out Extreme Rules 2012 in an Extreme Rules match. Cena and Lesnar knocked it out of the park in a violent encounter.<\/p>\n<p>The Beast Incarnate incorporated an MMA style, with both men bleeding profusely. Many expected that Lesnar would win, considering it was Lesnar&#8217;s first match in a WWE ring in eight years. However, Cena&#8217;s victory was illogical as he <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/04\/5-times-john-cena-shouldnt-have-won-a-wwe-ple-main-event\/5\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">defeated Lesnar with an Attitude Adjustment<\/span> <\/a>onto the steel steps in a match that Lesnar should have won.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_147786\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-147786\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-147786 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/12\/11-7-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"A graphic featuring WWE Legend John Cena in WWE PLE main events he shouldn't have won.\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/12\/11-7-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/12\/11-7-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/12\/11-7-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/12\/11-7.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-147786\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2>4. John Cena Vs. Edge Vs. Shawn Michaels Vs. Randy Orton &#8211; Backlash 2007<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL MATCH: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton | WWE Title Match: Backlash 2007\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NfAjFX-VG3c?start=485&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The strength and depth that WWE had in the Ruthless Aggression Era were nothing short of extraordinary. John Cena had one of the toughest WWE Championship title defenses of his career.<\/p>\n<p>Edge, Shawn Michaels, and Randy Orton were former world champions in their own right and were looking to dethrone Cena for the WWE Championship. Unquestionably, their fatal-4-way match at Backlash 2007 was one of the best fatal-4-way matches in WWE history.<\/p>\n<p>All four men gave it their best shot, and Cena showed why he was the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/11\/18\/john-cenas-17-wwe-world-title-reigns-ranked\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">WWE Champion for almost a calendar year in 2007<\/span><\/a>. He had a refusal to give up. In the closing stages, Edge speared Orton, and Cena laid out the Rated-R Superstar with the Attitude Adjustment. Michaels followed it up with Sweet Chin Music on Cena, but HBK was unable to capitalize as Cena fell on top of Orton and retained the WWE Championship in a hard-fought battle.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2>3. John Cena Vs. Edge &#8211; Unforgiven 2006<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL MATCH: Edge vs. John Cena | WWE Title TLC Match: WWE Unforgiven 2006\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xu4jZEP-fpc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>WWE&#8217;s rivalry of 2006 was John Cena and Edge going head-to-head over the WWE Championship. The Rated-R Superstar was elevated to main event status as he won the WWE Championship twice, and the first time was by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase at Cena&#8217;s expense at New Year&#8217;s Revolution. Weeks later, Cena regained the WWE Championship at the 2006 Royal Rumble.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, sandwiched in between Cena and Edge&#8217;s respective second WWE Championship reigns was Rob Van Dam&#8217;s three-week stint as the WWE Champion. Nonetheless, Cena and Edge&#8217;s rivalry continued to dominate the summer and fall of 2006.<\/p>\n<p>Their TLC match for the WWE Championship at Unforgiven 2006 was arguably their best match against each other. Cena wasn&#8217;t a TLC match specialist, but he looked right at home in this bout. The stars aligned for Edge as he had the home-field advantage and the advantage of being comfortable in TLC matches.<\/p>\n<p>Those two things didn&#8217;t matter in the end as Cena managed to weather the storm. Cena and Edge told an excellent story, with the pair going back and forth. Furthermore, the Rated-R Superstar sustained a lot of punishment by going through several tables. At the end, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/02\/john-cenas-3-longest-and-3-shortest-wwe-championship-reigns\/4\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Cena clinched his third WWE Championship<\/span> <\/a>after he put Edge out of his misery by executing the AA through a couple of tables, with Cena retrieving the gold.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2>2. John Cena Vs. Daniel Bryan &#8211; SummerSlam 2013<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL MATCH - John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan \u2013 WWE Title Match: SummerSlam 2013\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2oR_1WBmkHM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>John Cena regained the WWE Championship from The Rock at WrestleMania 29, and his 11th WWE World Championship reign was steady. Furthermore, Cena handpicked his opponent to challenge him for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2013, and he chose Daniel Bryan. Moreover, WWE COO Triple H oversaw proceedings as the special guest referee.<\/p>\n<p>Cena showcased his toughness and selflessness by competing with a severely injured elbow. They hit a home run, and fans were unsurprisingly backing Bryan. Chants of &#8220;You can&#8217;t wrestle&#8221; and &#8220;Yes!&#8221; reverberated around the arena.<\/p>\n<p>The in-ring action was breathtaking and easily one of the best performances in both men&#8217;s careers. When Bryan connected with the Running Knee, many expected Cena to bring out Super Cena and kick out. That failed to materialize with Bryan dethroning Cena to become the WWE Champion for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>Their match was incredible, and Cena showed his class by shaking hands with Bryan. Bryan&#8217;s joy was short-lived as Triple H laid him out with a Pedigree. Randy Orton took advantage and cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase successfully to clinch the WWE Championship for a seventh time.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2>1. John Cena Vs. CM Punk &#8211; Money In The Bank 2011<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL MATCH \u2014 CM Punk vs. John Cena \u2013 WWE Championship Match: WWE Money in the Bank 2011\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QZb3dfX3cQA?start=68&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>John Cena is no stranger to competing in hostile receptions, as he had a taste of it when he defended the WWE Championship against Rob Van Dam at ECW One Night Stand 2006.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, there was a partisan crowd in the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, at Money in the Bank 2011 as <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/06\/wwe-wrestlers-john-cena-elevated\/3\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Cena defended the WWE Championship against CM Punk<\/span><\/a>. Cena understood the assignment and knew he&#8217;d receive a chorus of boos.<\/p>\n<p>The atmosphere was electric, and they put on a five-star instant classic. Cena and Punk pulled out all of the stops, and this was the best match in their legendary rivalry. Both kicked out one of each other&#8217;s respective finishers, but when Mr. McMahon walked down the aisle, Cena made a crucial mistake by taking his eyes off the ball.<\/p>\n<p>The Second City Saint took advantage and connected with the GTS, securing his first WWE Championship reign. Punk escaped with the WWE Championship through the crowd, leaving WWE without a WWE Champion.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ore From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><i>Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013 Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_self\"><em><u><i>Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0for more on John Cena 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.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><i>You can check out WWE programming on\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81788927\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Netflix<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(Raw),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usanetwork.com\/wwe-friday-night-smackdown\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>USA Network<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(SmackDown),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cwtv.com\/shows\/wwe-nxt\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>The CW<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(NXT),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/tubitv.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Tubi<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Evolve),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aetv.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>A&amp;E<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Superstar Sunday \u2013 Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments), and\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Peacock<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Main Event, as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>YouTube<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>, and catch fast-paced action on X (<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/i\/events\/1773457579022155776?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>WWE Speed<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>).<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unquestionably, John Cena is one of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time. Cena&#8217;s WWE career is iconic, and he has captivated audiences for many years. Whether wrestling fans have shown their admiration for Cena or shown their displeasure, there&#8217;s no denying Cena&#8217;s loyalty to WWE. Nevertheless, with Cena being one of the biggest names [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5695,"featured_media":148155,"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":[7205,4,3],"tags":[165],"class_list":["post-148233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-john-cena"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148233","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\/5695"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148233"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":148264,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148233\/revisions\/148264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}