WWE: Greatest rivals of John Cena ranked

John Cena who won his 17th WWE championship title has already become a decorated name in pro wrestling industry. Since his debut in 2002, Cena has gone onto achieve many huge records in the last two decades. The 48-year-old has been counted as the biggest name in pro-wrestling since winning the title for the first time in 2005 beating JBL in WrestleMania 21. 

The next few years saw Cena come up against variety of opponents who have tried to dethrone him from the top spot. The likes of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, and even the Great Khali have fought with Cena. But in his over two decade long WWE career, John Cena has faced few men who have taken the 17-time champion to the limit. 

Here are John Cena’s top ten WWE opponents 

10. Bray Wyatt 

One of the best young talents to come into the WWE landscape was Bray Wyatt. The two had a feud with each other in 2014 which Cena eventually won. No one got inside Cena’s head as much as Wyatt did as the two traded legendary promos in the lead-up to the event. Cena and Wyatt then fought each other in WrestleMania 36 which was supposed to be a regular match but turned into a ‘Firefly funhouse match’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic that Wyatt went onto win. 

9. The Miz

In the early 2010’s, Cena had a legendary feud with the Miz over the WWE title. Miz had won the title in late 2010 much to the shock of the WWE fans. Cena then challenged Miz for the title in WrestleMania 2011 that also saw the Rock’s return after more than seven years. Miz won the title in the end and the two went on their separate ways after the match. Both wrestlers met one another later in a special WrestleMania match in 2017. 

8. Kurt Angle 

1996 Olympic Gold Medal winner Kurt Angle was the first ever opponent of Cena when he made his WWE debut in 2002. Angle called out a random wrestler each week to fight and Cena was one of the few to rise up to the challenge. This soon put the young wrestler on the map and elevated him to greater heights.

7. AJ Styles 

After spending many years with TNA, pro wrestling fans got to finally witness Aj Styles grace the WWE ring. The Phenomenal One and Cena had three of the great wreslting matches that is being spoken about to this day. Styles with his versatile ability was able to steal the show with Cena and become a bigger wrestling superstar. 

6. Brock Lesnar 

'Beast Incarnate’ Brock Lesnar and John Cena first fought in 2003 at the height of the Ruthless Aggression Era. Lesnar then took a break from Pro Wrestling to play football and then venture into the UFC world. Once Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012, his first match was against Cena and it was a bloody battle between the two stars which is still remembered to this day. 

5. Triple H 

WrestleMania 2006 saw Triple H take on Cena for the title and by that time public support for the newest sensation had waned. While Triple H was always called the Cerebral Assassin, his battles against John Cena were evenly matches. Both stood for different virtues as defined by Cena’s Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect to Triple H’ win at all costs mentality. 

4. The Rock

When Cena turned on Cody Rhodes earlier this year at the behest of the Rock, wrestling fans were in huge shock. The two former rivals had finally joined hands to create a faction of epic proportions. Cena and The Rock though didn’t get along well and famously didn’t like each other backstage while working during their legendary feud in 2012 and 2013. With Cena transitioning to Hollywood, the current WWE champion has spoken highly of his former rival seemingly ending their bad blood. 

3. CM Punk 

‘Second City Saint’ CM Punk always despised Cena and his continued pandering to the fans and this saw the two clash over differing ideologies. In 2011, Punk delivered a ‘pipebomb’ promo where h went after Cena amongst other. Punk then won the title in MITB PLE in front of his home fans. This was followed by series of classic matches between the two before Punk quit the company in 2014. Since his return in 2023, fans are hoping the two can square off one more time. 

2. Edge

Adam Copeland or better known as Edge had won his first title when he pinned Cena after cashing his MITB briefcase. Both wrestlers then began a long feud and fought each other in terrific matches. One of the best matches one can still remember is the TLC bout where Cena threw Edge past few tables to win the title. 

1. Randy Orton 

Former students of Ohio Valley Wrestling, which also included, Brock Lesnar, Dave Batista, and Shelton Benjamin, it was John Cena and Randy Orton who always crossed paths. Orton and Cena had a heated feud in late 2000’s to early 2010’s. Orton and Cena fought one last time at the Backlash PLE last weekend with Cena coming out on top.