John Cena’s Top 10 Opponents of All-Time, Ranked
The time is almost here for WWE fans to say goodbye to John Cena. The 17-time world champion is set to have his final ever match during Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13. He’ll face the winner of the ongoing “The Last Time is Now Tournament” during the show airing on Peacock. It will surely mark the end of an era as WWE’s GOAT hangs up the jorts once and for all.
Cena parlayed his popularity and success into a successful Hollywood box office career. The Peacemaker star has been building up an impressive acting resume, but the 48-year-old never forgot where he came from. Cena also never forgot those who helped get him there. Among them were his WWE dance partners.
Before Cena’s emotional farewell, we run down his Top 10 opponents. Yes, there are others who were considered for the list like Triple H, Umaga, and Sheamus to name a few. However, that’s what makes Cena truly great is there are so many you could make a case for. If you disagree with the list, let us know your own picks in the comments below.
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, December 13, 7:30/6:30c, Peacock
10. John "Bradshaw" Layfield
The road to 17 began at WrestleMania 21 when John Cena dethroned the white-collar JBL to become the WWE Heavyweight Champion. This victory cemented the relatable “every man” among the top of the mountain and really gave him the ball for the first time to deliver. He’d further prove this in their “I Quit” match a few months later at Judgment Day 2005. They’d collide more over the years in everything from “First Blood” matches to New York City parking lot brawls.
9. Kurt Angle
Vince McMahon looked to motivate the roster during his June 24, 2002 “Ruthless Aggression” promo on SmackDown. A young gun, formally known as “The Prototype,” answered the call to action by answering Kurt Angle’s open challenge. Cena made an immediate impact, getting the fans invested, and connecting with his intensity. The emerging talent would still be finding his identity in the years that followed, but on this night, Cena proved to be one to watch. He lost against the Olympic gold medalist, yet one in many other ways.
8. Batista
Dave Bautista and John Cena came up around the same time. At one point, they were essentially who was 1 and 1a. In terms of the company. They’d rule separate brands for a while with Cena largely on Raw and Batista ruling SmackDown and vice versa depending on the time frame. The two would even be intertwined in controversy during the 2005 Royal Rumble finish. Whose feet hit the floor first? Batista earned the WrestleMania title shot that night against Triple H, but Cena got his own crack at the big championship against JBL. The movie stars fought in a series of battles from “Last Man Standing” to “I Quit” to the Elimination Chamber. Their most high-profile match came at WrestleMania 26 when Cena made Batista tap out. Given their history, it would be cool to see them working on the same TV or movie series.
7. The Miz
Mike “The Miz” Mizanin had the arduous task of being taken seriously by the WWE Universe after coming in as an MTV reality star. He fought and clawed his way to earn the respect of his peers. Miz put in the work and became the one fans loved to hate. He served perfectly as the audacious foil for John Cena. The Miz proved to be a viable main event performer with his shocking upset over Cena at WrestleMania 27. Years later they even had their respective significant others at the time joining in on the fun with Cena and Nikki Bella defeating The Miz and his wife Maryse.
6. AJ Styles
When it comes from a match quality perspective, an argument could be made that Styles helped take Cena to the next level. Even their most recent outing at Australia’s Crown Jewel in July showcased their in-ring chemistry. Cena helped bring legitimacy to Styles early as he was being introduced to WWE fans in 2016. Styles beat Cena that year at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam as part of their acclaimed trilogy. Sadly, Cena retires in 2025 while Styles looks to hang up the boots in 2026. So, it was nice to see them face off once again in the summer.
5. Brock Lesnar
John Cena also came up with Brock Lesnar down in WWE’s developmental Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). If Cena was Superman, Lesnar had the kryptonite in their times facing against each other. One particular SummerSlam encounter in 2014 was a true one-sided squash that saw Lesnar dominate the leader of the C-Nation. Lesnar delivered 16 (!) German suplexes and two signature F-5s before mercifully ending the match. Even during WWE’s big debut on the ESPN app at Wrestlepalooza in September, Lesnar decisively defeated his longtime rival. Sadly, Cena won’t get another chance at redemption, leaving Lesnar as the one who truly got the better of him.
4. The Rock
John Cena evolved into the franchise player and carried on the torch from the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Rock went off to become a mainstream A-lister, but there was still hope he’d return home. The plan for this became a reality in 2011, the day after WrestleMania 27. This historic showdown was confirmed a full year in advance. The lead up to their “once in a lifetime” clash was rooted in reality and things often got personal. Cena ironically called out the Rock for leaving WWE for the bright lights of Hollywood and writing promos on his hand. Rock ended up defeating Cena in Miami at WrestleMania 28. Cena got his victory back the year later. Who is the best? We’ll never get that answered in the ring with the score forever tied.
3. CM Punk
John Cena’s disrupter in a lot of ways was CM Punk, who ascended under the “Best in the World” moniker. Punk’s anti-authority onscreen persona extended behind the scenes. The powder keg exploded during the June 27, 2011 episode of Raw went off on WWE management and called the likes of Cena a “corporate stooge,” “party-pooper,” and “sellout.” This would be revisited leading into their June match at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. At the time, the controversial segment led to Cena and Punk meeting at Money in the Bank. Punk, whose future with the company was uncertain, left with the gold in surefire classic.
2. Randy Orton
Randy Orton and John Cena started their WWE journey around the same time in the company’s developmental program Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). Even before making it to the big-time, Orton, then 21, wrestled Cena, 24, at 4th Annual Brian Pillman Memorial Show in 2001. They went on to wrestle numerous times including a brutal “I Quit” match and grueling 60-minute “Iron Man” match, trading victories and championships. Their final clash came in May when Cena defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton at Backlash.
1. Edge
Adam Copeland took his career to the next level by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Cena at New Year’s Resolution in 2006. The two rivals battled throughout the rest of the year with others like Triple H and Rob Van Dam entering the mix. Edge’s ex Lita (Amy Dumas) added to the story well. Copeland’s WWE Tag Team Championship partnership with Orton, called Rated-RKO, was born out of their mutual Cena history. Edge and Cena met last 15 years ago on Raw. Fans dream booked there would be one last chapter in this rivalry, but Copeland currently worked for AEW.
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