Biggest Of All Time: John Cena

During John Cena’s retirement tour last 12 months, WWE play-by-play announcer Michael Cole often referred to the 48-year-old because the “Biggest Of All Time,” an opinion that many modern wrestling fans share. Nevertheless, with Hulk Hogan ruling the Nineteen Eighties, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin being the poster boy of the Attitude Era, and Roman Reigns leading WWE through the present decade, Cena has loads of competition in terms of claiming the title of the G.O.A.T.

Today, we’re determined to prove that the recently retired star and upcoming WrestleMania host truly deserves that recognition. Whether it’s his infinite list of accomplishments, longevity within the business, loyalty through hardships, or connecting to fans on a private level, Cena is a certainly one of a sort wrestler and human being within the industry who has earned Cole’s praise on the announce desk each time he appears on-screen — and particularly inside the last five years.

John Cena’s championship wins were at all times controversial amongst fans, with some being thrilled each time he had the chance to carry the gold, while others grew uninterested in watching him perform at the highest of the cardboard. That said, variety of title wins and length of championship reigns do matter, and only a few have a greater WWE resume than Cena. 

Along with being a 17-time World Champion, essentially the most out of any skilled wrestler in history, Cena can be a Grand Slam Champion, having won the USA title, Intercontinental title, and tag team titles. Although Cena had many championship reigns that were short, he also had several dominant runs during his profession, most notably his 380-day WWE Heavyweight Championship reign from 2006-2007. On top of his various title wins, Cena is a two-time Royal Rumble winner and captured the Money In The Bank briefcase once. He also has a protracted list of less tangible achievements, corresponding to important eventing WrestleMania six times and having the second-most WWE Premium Live Event appearances in history, trailing only Randy Orton.

To earn the moniker “Biggest Of All Time,” a wrestler must have accomplishments that stand out in comparison with their peers. Whether fans prefer it or not, Cena’s list of in-ring achievements allow him to be considered the most effective to ever step contained in the squared circle.

Although Cena was WWE’s biggest star for a complete decade, his in-ring skill didn’t at all times match as much as his peers within the important event scene, with stars like Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, and CM Punk often viewed as higher wrestlers. Cena was never bad at the game, but he did not have the technical ability or in-ring experience other talent possessed; as an alternative, he relied on different skills to maintain him at the highest of the cardboard.

More often than not, Cena would turn to his promo skill and storytelling to make up for what he did not have contained in the ropes. Whether he was rapping because the “Doctor Of Thuganomics,” engaging in heated 20-minute promos with Triple H, or verbally assassinating The Rock, Cena knew the best way to get fans invested in his matches, no matter how they felt about him. It’s no secret that Cena was sometimes given weak material to work with, but he was steadily capable of turn disappointing content into killer storylines. He also managed to be be surprisingly healthy throughout his profession, rarely suffering major injuries — and when he did get hurt, he typically got here back faster than expected, like his surprise return on the 2008 Royal Rumble.

A part of what makes Cena the “Biggest Of All Time” is his ability to persevere despite fans vocally criticizing his in-ring performances. Sometimes he achieved that goal by having an excellent dance partner, but ultimately he proved to management that he could succeed on the best level.

Whether you obtain into “Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect” or despised every aspect of Cena’s character throughout the years, no one could deny that the person behind the brilliant coloured t-shirts cared about his supporters outside of the ring.

On a nightly basis, Cena made it his goal to encourage fans, motivate others once they couldn’t motivate themselves, and above all, preach the importance of never giving up. Those principles were greater than just slogans and written material to Cena, who began to include much of what he claimed on TV into real life. Whether it’s children with special needs, those battling a severe illness, or kids who needed a lift of confidence, Cena made it a goal to bring his character to life in-person, while also with the ability to connect with a person on a human level.

Today, Cena holds the Guinness World Record for granting essentially the most wishes for the Make-A-Wish foundation, and continued to be a part of that community and contribute to the organization throughout his farewell tour last 12 months. Moreover, the 17-time World Champion hasn’t shied away from conducting sit -own interviews or making podcast appearances, where he often shares advice that he’s learned from his own profession, or uses the platforms he appears on to supply perspective on life. Although Cena made an impact through his achievements and defying the chances to develop into the face of WWE, his contributions outside of the ring are what truly earns him the title of “Biggest Of All Time.”