John Cena: 10 Greatest Matches in Cena's Controversial WWE Career

With WWE star and polarizing personality John Cena’s birthday being Monday, April 23, we are going to celebrate the superstar's 35th birthday with the 10 greatest matches of his career.

This is going to be up for debate, but know that a win and a loss have little to no bearing on the caliber of match, as long as it does its job. Many of the greatest wrestlers in the world remember losses as fondly as wins.

It’s called having pride in putting another star over, and it has become a lost art. Cena hasn’t forgotten it, though. Just ask CM Punk.

Join as we celebrate the life and times of one of the greatest sports entertainers in the history of the business. Like it or not, you know it’s true!

10. John Cena vs. Kurt Angle: Debut on SmackDown, 2002

Question on Everybody's Mind: This made the list?

While this match wasn’t the greatest, it was far more than anyone expected. Add in the fact that Cena almost won against Angle, and you have the beginnings of a great career and the groundwork for the duo's feud later on.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 epic debuts

While we all loved the clean-cut Cena that came to the ring that night, the rapper Cena was great. If it wasn’t for Angle and his willingness to put over a young guy like Cena, who knows how far the WWE would have pushed the superstar.

9. John Cena vs. WWE Champion JBL: WrestleMania, 2005

Question on Everybody's Mind: Is this even Cena’s best match against JBL?

No. While JBL and Cena stole the show with an "I Quit" match at Judgment Day after WrestleMania, this was the first time John Cena won a world title.

Hype Meter: 3 out of 5 spinner belts

After turning the United States title into a spinner belt, the new WWE champion John Cena turned the belt into the spinner we see today. Seven years later, the influence of that match is still felt by the WWE.

8. John Cena vs. the Rock: WrestleMania 28, 2012

Question on Everybody's Mind: Is this really on the list?

After a year's worth of build and all the focus of the entire wrestling world, the battle between The Rock and John Cena had to make the top 10. While Cena lost, the match showed that his character was not a superhero.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 carried superstars

The most important part of this match was how Cena carried The Rock. It was clear that the veteran was struggling at times in the ring, but Cena took the reins and made sure the match went off perfectly. It did.

7. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels: RAW, 2007

Question on Everybody's Mind: Why is this so low?

The simple answer: It happened on Raw. After having just seen the match on WrestleMania 23, the WWE decided to give us a rematch on regular TV. As great as the hour-long match was, it was on free TV with no build.

Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 technical masteries

While this match proved to many doubters that Cena was a great WWE worker, it also proved that WWE had major flaws in how they orchestrated their business. As we have seen, the company has not done this since that match.

6. John Cena vs. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar: Backlash, 2003

Question on Everybody's Mind: Does Brock really hate Cena?

After watching the footage of this match and realizing where the WWE has headed with Lesnar during his current storyline, it’s very possible that the feelings of hate towards Cena from Lesnar are legit.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 STF-5s

Cena was nothing in 2003, but a series of losses to the biggest names in the business proved he could work a major match and be successful. While Cena lost to Lesnar and lost to Undertaker in the same year, he showed that he belonged on that big of a stage.

5. WWE Champion John Cena vs. Triple H: WrestleMania 22, 2006

Question on Everybody's Mind: Triple H put a young star over?

While there was no doubt that John Cena was a different superstar in the eyes of the WWE, it wasn’t until his match against Triple H at WrestleMania 22 that showed just how dedicated everyone was to the star.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 burials

When Triple H is willing to put a younger star over on a huge stage like WrestleMania, it’s obvious that the star deserves it. Give the WWE credit, they saw Cena’s drawing power and pushed him to the moon to capitalize on it.

4. WWE Champion John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels: WrestleMania 23, 2007

Question on Everybody's Mind: John Cena used to win at WrestleMania?

Yes. Believe it or not, there was a time when putting your biggest star over on your biggest card was the norm, but Cena and the WWE have definitely broken the mold when it comes to their prodigal son.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 sweet chin musics

After going almost 30 minutes in a match that defined who John Cena was, Mr. WrestleMania Shawn Michaels and Cena put on a main event worthy of the top spot on any card. One of the best ‘Mania matches of all time.

3. John Cena vs. WWE Champion Edge (TLC Match): Unforgiven, 2006

Question on Everybody's Mind: Did Cena just go hardcore?

In what was a real stretch for the WWE’s golden child, facing edge in his hometown of Toronto in a TLC-style match that the Rated-R superstar was accustomed to, this was the biggest test of Cena's career to that point.

Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 big spots

With Super Cena taking as much punishment as he was giving out, the crowd was merciless in their verbal attacks on the star. Despite the crowd’s actions, Cena and Edge went on to put on an amazing match and steal the show.

2. WWE Champion John Cena vs. CM Punk: Money in the Bank, 2011

Question on Everybody's Mind: Did Cena get caught in the perfect storm?

After one of the best shoot promos the WWE could have ever planned, the WWE Universe became enamored with CM Punk as a star. At the time, Super Cena was running all over town with his new WWE title.

Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 GTSs

With the fans in Chicago supporting their hometown boy, the 2011 Money in the Bank PPV felt more like the ECW show from five years earlier than a mediocre gimmick PPV. At the end of the night, the PPV and this match became legend.

1. WWE Champion John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam: One Night Stand, 2006

Question on Everybody's Mind: Is this really John Cena’s greatest match?

While from a technical standpoint, this match wasn’t Cena’s greatest, it helped cement his legacy as one of the most controversial superstars of our generation.

Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 inappropriate chants

Fans had chanted "you suck" at times to Cena, but it was his feud with Rob Van Dam and subsequent loss of the title in hostile territory of the Hammerstein Ballroom that created the heat the star faces today. If you have the time, watch this whole video package.

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