Examining John Cena's Elimination Chamber History Ahead of SmackDown PPV

The Elimination Chamber has provided proof that John Cena is WWE's Superman, but the steel structure has also been his kryptonite. 

The stories WWE has told with Cena in Satan's Prison have featured both triumph and heartbreak, survival and submission. Often, all of those elements arose on the same night.

Cena is now set to enter that ominous cage again. He will defend the WWE Championship at the SmackDown-branded Elimination Chamber pay-per-view on Sunday.

History says that he won't deliver one of the match's breathtaking moments. Cena's highlight reel in the Elimination Chamber isn't as extensive as those of other wrestlers. He provides an infusion of star power, not daredevil antics.

Cena's past also points to his success inside the steel. While Sunday will mark AJ Styles', Bray Wyatt's, Dean Ambrose's and Baron Corbin's first trips inside the Elimination Chamber, that is a battlefield where The Cenation Leader has tasted victory more than just about anyone.

The Numbers

Of the 19 Elimination Chamber matches thus far, Cena has been in five. Sunday's PPV will make it six out of 20, meaning that he will have competed in an even 30 percent of them.

That's a testament to his longevity. Over a decade after his first Elimination Chamber match in 2006, Cena is still a top star, firmly planted in the WWE title scene.

Along the way, Cena amassed a 3-2 record inside the unforgiving structure, per CageMatch.net.

Event	Championship/Prize	Result	Star Rating
New Year's Revolution 2006	WWE Championship	Retained title	3.5
No Way Out 2009	World Heavyweight Championship	Lost title	4.25
Elimination Chamber 2010	WWE Championship	Won title	3.5
Elimination Chamber 2011	WWE Championship opportunity	Won match	4
Elimination Chamber 2014	WWE World Heavyweight Championship	Lost title	3.75

Those three wins have Cena sitting at No. 2 on the all-time wins list for the bout. Triple H is the only man with more victories inside the Elimination Chamber (four, as noted on WWE.com). The Face That Runs the Place can match that mark on Sunday.

The raw numbers alone don't tell the whole story, though. Defeat immediately followed triumph on two occasions. 

Unable to Overcome the Odds

At New Year's Revolution 2006, Cena survived against five challengers.

He took a barrage of suplexes from Kurt Angle. He evaded Carlito and Chris Masters' double-team attacks. And he ended the bout bleeding, wobbly and staring with glazed eyes at his WWE Championship.

Then Edge arrived.

In a history-making move, Edge cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to get a title shot against a battered Cena. This was the first time anyone had done this. The concept was new.

And Cena ended up as Money in the Bank's first victim, a spear proving to be the end of his title reign. 

Four years later, Cena suffered a violent case of deja vu. The powerhouse won the WWE Championship at the Elimination Chamber PPV against the likes of Randy Orton, Triple H and Sheamus. Cena wasn't done after the gauntlet that is Satan's Prison, however.

Vince McMahon awarded Batista a title match immediately following the Elimination Chamber bout.

Cena didn't last long. The Animal dethroned him in overwhelming fashion.

When Cena has lost during the Elimination Chamber match, it has been the result of getting swarmed by enemies. In 2009, three men hit him with their best shots to knock him out of the match.

Chris Jericho stunned with him a Codebreaker. Rey Mysterio knocked him back with a 619. Edge finished off the flurry with a spear.

The Wyatt Family took a similar approach in 2014, even though the backwoods clan wasn't in the Elimination Chamber match. Cena's enemies charged into the action, ambushing the babyface.

The attack upended Cena's chances, allowing Orton to retain the WWE title.

Moments, Patterns

When fans think of the biggest and best moments in Elimination Chamber history, Cena's name doesn't often come up. Goldberg spearing Jericho or John Morrison's drop from the roof of the cage sit high on that list instead. 

Cena has been more of the backbone of the bout than the highlight-maker.

His name power elevates the match. And crossing paths with his rivals has intrigued as the action unfolded.

Credit: WWE.com

In 2009, he clashed with his archenemy, Edge. The following year, he last eliminated hated rival Triple H with an STF to claim victory. In 2011, Cena and CM Punk collided, two bitter enemies creating sparks during the match.

When he has made the highlight reel, it's often been with the Attitude Adjustment. He nailed Ted DiBiase with that move onto a steel grate in 2010.

Punk suffered the same fate a year later.

Major moments to his name or not, Cena has come out on top several times in these battles. In many cases, the stories of those wins were of a never-say-die hero taking on an overwhelming challenge.

That most applies to the Elimination Chamber match at New Year's Revolution 2006.

Cena entered first that night. He had to avoid defeat for nearly 30 minutes. Neither blood loss nor Masters and Carlito conspiring together could stop him.

The level of difficulty hasn't always been that high, though.

In his other four Chamber matches, he has entered the contest late. In both 2009 and 2010, he was the last man to emerge from his pod. In his next Elimination Chamber contests, he entered fourth and fifth, respectively.

WWE has seemingly wanted to save the moment when Cena bursts onto the scene for later.

That's likely at least partially why Cena hasn't been part of more big Elimination Chamber moments. He has spent much of the action seething in his pod.

If that's the case on Sunday, first-timers could have more opportunities to make their marks on the history of Satan's Prison. That's the direction WWE needs to go, showcasing fresh faces.

With three wins already to his name, Cena doesn't need to emerge on top inside the Elimination Chamber. As up-and-down as his story in that structure has been, his resume inside it is already overflowing.