Ranking John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar's 8 Greatest Moments in Historic WWE Rivalry

Despite having few actual matches with each other, John Cena and Brock Lesnar have been synonymous with one another dating back to their time in Ohio Valley Wrestling.

Along the way, they have clashed with championships, bragging rights and egos on the line.

From shocking returns to even more shocking results, they have taken fans on a roller-coaster ride of emotions and, they now appear poised to do so one last time as part of Cena's retirement tour after The Beast Incarnate returned at SummerSlam.

Ahead of that final clash, whenever and wherever it occurs, these are the greatest moments in Cena and Lesnar's historic WWE rivalry.

8. Cena Was Simply in the Way (SummerSlam 2021)

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After 14 months away from WWE during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lesnar returned in the closing moments of SummerSlam 2021.

He confronted Roman Reigns, who was clearly the No. 1 guy in pro wrestling in The Beast's absence and stolen his advocate, Paul Heyman, in the process.

A tense staredown indicated the two would clash at some point, rekindling their long rivalry.

As Cena recovered from his loss to Reigns in the main event of SummerSlam, Lesnar delivered a German suplex and F-5 to The GOAT before standing tall.

Was it a moment of great substance in the rivalry? No, but it was further proof that Lesnar never needed an excuse to level Cena. More importantly, it was not the last time he would pop up unexpectedly at SummerSlam and lay into the veteran.

7. Lesnar Injures Cena's Knee (SmackDown, February 13, 2003)

Lesnar was rolling into WrestleMania XIX as the No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship when he encountered Cena for only the second time since they had made the jump to the main roster.

The match was their shortest, by far, with Lesnar surviving a brief bit of offense from Cena but otherwise smashing through him and finishing things off with an F-5.

That wasn't enough, though, as The Beast sent a message to his WrestleMania opponent, Kurt Angle, by hoisting Cena overhead and delivering his finisher once more, this time into the ring post.

Cena reeled in agony, clutching his knee in an injury angle that would put him out of action for weeks and give the Doctor of Thuganomics a chance to evolve his character and show some of that trademark ruthless aggression, this time on the mic.

It also set up their first WWE Championship match at Backlash two months later.

6. WWE Championship (Backlash 2003)

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For the first time in their careers, Cena and Lesnar squared off with the top prize in the company at stake.

On the heels of WrestleMania XIX, Cena won the opportunity to challenge Lesnar for the WWE title, but it was also a shot at revenge at The Beast after he had injured his rival's knee.

Not nearly as good as their best matches, it was a solid affair that proved two things: Cena had some growing to do as an in-ring performer and that both would have more main event title bouts in the future.

5. Lesnar Outlasts Cena, Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble 2015)

The best match Cena and Lesnar have had with each other may actually be the Triple Threat for the WWE Championship at the 2015 Royal Rumble in Philadelphia.

At one point in the contest, it became clear the only way the challengers could conquer The Beast was to work together. Cena laid the champion out on the announce table and Rollins delivered a massive frog splash.

Cena and Rollins then turned their attention to each other, but Lesnar ultimately shrugged off the medics, reentered the match and downed The Architect with an F-5 for a successful title defense.

A great match with a strong story throughout, the contest laid the groundwork for what would become somewhat of a pattern for Lesnar's multi-man matches over the next few years while also writing the latest chapter in his feud with Cena.

4. Cena Slays The Beast (Extreme Rules 2012)

In their first match in nearly a decade, Cena and Lesnar tore the house down at Extreme Rules 2012 in Chicago with a violent brawl that tested the babyface's will and reminded the wrestling world how dangerous his opponent could be.

Lesnar dominated Cena, bloodying him and leaving little doubt as to who the physically superior competitor was. What he did not account for were the ramifications of his hubris and the intestinal fortitude of his opponent.

Late in the match, The Beast launched himself off the steel ring steps at Cena and to the arena floor in a scary spot. Moments later, he went back to the well, looking to put an exclamation point on the match. This time, Cena blasted him in the face with a steel chain.

From there, he delivered an Attitude Adjustment on the same steps and earned the come-from-behind victory in a legitimate Match of the Year candidate.

It would be one of Cena's few triumphs against Lesnar in their series of contests.

3. The Beast is Back (SummerSlam 2025)

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After two years away from WWE, Lesnar shocked the world again by interrupting the closing moments of SummerSlam 2025.

Clad in his trademark cowboy hat, he stalked toward the ring where longtime rival Cena awaited. Then, without warning, he dropped The Champ with an F-5 and exited the squared circle to close out the broadcast.

It was an unforgettable moment that hinted at one more dance between the two before Cena's retirement...whether anyone asked for it or not.

2. Lesnar Comes Home, Interrupts Cena (Raw, April 2, 2012)

Just 24 hours removed from a heartbreaking loss to The Rock in the main event of WrestleMania XXVIII, Cena took to the squared circle to address his fans.

However, he was interrupted as Lesnar's music played and he stepped foot on the WWE stage for the first time since 2004.

The fans erupted, and Cena appeared confused.

Then, in an image fans would see numerous times after, Lesnar flattened his longtime foe with an F-5, sending a message to the wrestling world that he was back and about to be a problem for everyone, including the top star in the industry.

1. Cena's Decimation (SummerSlam 2014)

If there is one thing fans do not expect from the main event of one of WWE's most prestigious premium live events, it's a squash match.

Yet, in the summer of 2014, that's exactly what they got when Cena defended the WWE World Championship against Lesnar at SummerSlam.

It was the first time they had clashed since the main event of Extreme Rules two years earlier, and Lesnar destroyed Cena, launching him across the ring with 14 German suplexes in one of the most one-sided beatdowns in WWE history.

Still riding a high from ending The Undertaker's unbeaten streak at WrestleMania four months earlier, Lesnar ended Cena with an F-5 and stood atop the WWE mountain as the unstoppable force anyone with title aspirations would have to topple.