I loved this guy during his NXT run. He was surprisingly agile for a big guy, had a killer diving headbutt, and had a great old school heel persona reminiscent of Dick the Bruiser. After his feud with Baron Corbin, though, he fell down the card, wound up with a comedy gimmick making fun of his weight, and then got cut, but he still wrestles in the indies to this day.
Some of you who’ve been following the wrestling thread for years may recall the story of how I accidentally bought the singlet he wore at Takeover London. It’s still hanging in my closet to this day.
John Cena’s Greatest Matches
Cena vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, Summerslam 2013
This was an absolute technical wrestling clinic. Bryan and Cena were both in top form, the crowd was red-hot for Bryan, and the roof blew off the joint when Bryan debuted his new running knee strike finish to get the win over Cena. Of course, Randy Orton then immediately cashed in MITB and started the Authority angle that screwed Bryan over for most of the rest of his run, but it was a great match nonetheless.
Cena vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, Summerslam 2013
Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship, Money in the Bank 2011
The intrigue was real: Would CM Punk really win the WWE Championship and leave with it? And what did Cena have to say about it? A phenomenal match that ended when Cena refused to allow Vince to screw Punk, saying he was doing this the right way - and then he ate a GTS and lost the belt.
Then Vince called out newly-crowned Money in the Bank winner Alberto del Rio to cash in, but Punk kicked him in the head and escaped through the crowd, blowing Vince a goodbye kiss on the way out.
Cena vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, Summerslam 2013
Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship, Money in the Bank 2011
Cena vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Summerslam 2014
I don’t think there’s ever been another match where Cena got squashed this thoroughly. He barely got any offense in while Brock just whaled on him relentlessly for 15 minutes before mercy-killing him with a series of Germans and an F5 to win the title. It absolutely made Brock look like a million bucks by allowing him to so thoroughly manhandle a guy who’d essentially been built up as Superman by that point.
Cena vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, Summerslam 2013
Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship, Money in the Bank 2011
Cena vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Summerslam 2014
Cena vs. Big Show vs. Edge, Wrestlemania XXV 2009
Cena lifted both men on his shoulders and carried them around before Edge slid off and Big Show got the Attitude Adjustment. It looked so unreal, like they had been wired with invisible cables.
Cena vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, Summerslam 2013
Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship, Money in the Bank 2011
Cena vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Summerslam 2014
Cena vs. Big Show vs. Edge, Wrestlemania XXV 2009
Cena vs. Kevin Owens, Elimination Chamber 2015
Cena vs JBL, WM XXI
Cena vs. Santino Marella, 2007
Cena vs. Shawn Michaels, Raw April 23, 2007
Cena vs. the Miz (c) vs. John Morrison, steel cage match for the WWE Championship, Extreme Rules 2011
Not so much for the match itself, which was good, but for what happened after Cena beat Miz to win the title; he got on the microphone and announced to the audience the news that had just broken minutes earlier; that “the president has just announced that we have caught, and compromised to a permanent end, Osama bin Laden.” I wasn’t watching live - I was at work when it happened, and there was a wave of excitement as the news permeated through my workplace, so I can only imagine it must have been insane for the crowd in the arena.
Cena vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, Summerslam 2013
Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship, Money in the Bank 2011
Cena vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Summerslam 2014
Cena vs. Big Show vs. Edge, Wrestlemania XXV 2009
Cena vs. Kevin Owens, Elimination Chamber 2015
Cena vs JBL, WM XXI
Cena vs. Santino Marella, 2007
Cena vs. Shawn Michaels, Raw April 23, 2007
Cena vs. the Miz (c) vs. John Morrison, steel cage match for the WWE Championship, Extreme Rules 2011
Cena vs. The Rock, WrestleMania 28
New category:
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
Coming to the ring with a chair to help Cody Rhodes at WresteMania XL, and getting immediately smacked around - and then taking that chair to the back at the hands of Roman Reigns. Reigns, in his lust for revenge, made the wrong choice and it cost him the title.
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
Coming to the ring with a chair to help Cody Rhodes at WresteMania XL, and getting immediately smacked around - and then taking that chair to the back at the hands of Roman Reigns. Reigns, in his lust for revenge, made the wrong choice and it cost him the title.
At an indy show in 2005, the man then known as Tyler Black does a moonsault off the stomach of an overweight man in the front row and takes out Matt Sydal
Just Google “moonsault off the fat guy” to see for yourself.
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
Coming to the ring with a chair to help Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, and getting immediately smacked around - and then taking that chair to the back at the hands of Roman Reigns. Reigns, in his lust for revenge, made the wrong choice and it cost him the title.
At an indy show in 2005, the man then known as Tyler Black does a moonsault off the stomach of an overweight man in the front row and takes out Matt Sydal
Seth has a mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38, and while a lot of people suspected it was Cody Rhodes leaving AEW, the company he helped found, I didn’t personally believe it until “Kingdom” started playing. And Seth’s reaction? That laugh of his.
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
Coming to the ring with a chair to help Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, and getting immediately smacked around - and then taking that chair to the back at the hands of Roman Reigns. Reigns, in his lust for revenge, made the wrong choice and it cost him the title.
At an indy show in 2005, the man then known as Tyler Black does a moonsault off the stomach of an overweight man in the front row and takes out Matt Sydal
Seth has a mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38, and while a lot of people suspected it was Cody Rhodes leaving AEW, the company he helped found, I didn’t personally believe it until “Kingdom” started playing. And Seth’s reaction? That laugh of his.
Summerslam 2014: Seth and Dean Ambrose in a Lumberjack Match. This broke the usual LJ mold in that neither participant could be contained in the ring. The action spilled out into the stands, and the LJs were either too busy fighting each other or couldn’t pry Seth and Dean apart to drag them back to the ring. Seth finally won by bopping Dean in the head with the MitB briefcase.
That’s Our Seth!
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
Coming to the ring with a chair to help Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, and getting immediately smacked around - and then taking that chair to the back at the hands of Roman Reigns. Reigns, in his lust for revenge, made the wrong choice and it cost him the title.
At an indy show in 2005, the man then known as Tyler Black does a moonsault off the stomach of an overweight man in the front row and takes out Matt Sydal
Seth has a mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38, and while a lot of people suspected it was Cody Rhodes leaving AEW, the company he helped found, I didn’t personally believe it until “Kingdom” started playing. And Seth’s reaction? That laugh of his.
Summerslam 2014: Seth and Dean Ambrose in a Lumberjack Match. This broke the usual LJ mold in that neither participant could be contained in the ring. The action spilled out into the stands, and the LJs were either too busy fighting each other or couldn’t pry Seth and Dean apart to drag them back to the ring. Seth finally won by bopping Dean in the head with the MitB briefcase.
One from just now: Seth playing with a yo-yo on his way to gorilla position at Money in the Bank 2024.
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
Coming to the ring with a chair to help Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, and getting immediately smacked around - and then taking that chair to the back at the hands of Roman Reigns. Reigns, in his lust for revenge, made the wrong choice and it cost him the title.
At an indy show in 2005, the man then known as Tyler Black does a moonsault off the stomach of an overweight man in the front row and takes out Matt Sydal
Seth has a mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38, and while a lot of people suspected it was Cody Rhodes leaving AEW, the company he helped found, I didn’t personally believe it until “Kingdom” started playing. And Seth’s reaction? That laugh of his.
Summerslam 2014: Seth and Dean Ambrose in a Lumberjack Match. This broke the usual LJ mold in that neither participant could be contained in the ring. The action spilled out into the stands, and the LJs were either too busy fighting each other or couldn’t pry Seth and Dean apart to drag them back to the ring. Seth finally won by bopping Dean in the head with the MitB briefcase.
One from just now: Seth playing with a yo-yo on his way to gorilla position at Money in the Bank 2024.
TLC 2017: With Roman Reigns sidelined with the mumps and the Shield booked in a 3-on-5 main event tornado match, Rollins gives Kurt Angle a SWAT vest and makes him an honorary Shield member to round out the team
Character-defining moments in the career of Seth Rollins (face and heel)
Rollins strongarms John Cena into bringing back The Authority by threatening to curb stomp the injured, retired Edge. When Cena relents, Rollins prepares to “kill him anyway” before Cena rushes in to save him and take it in his stead.
Turning on the Shield. Hitting Dean Ambrose with a chair and aligning himself with HHH made Rollins top heel in the WWE.
Cashing in his MitB briefcase at WM 31 and pinning Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title. He had lost to Randy Orton earlier that day, so few expected him to reappear, much less win the title.
Coming to the ring with a chair to help Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, and getting immediately smacked around - and then taking that chair to the back at the hands of Roman Reigns. Reigns, in his lust for revenge, made the wrong choice and it cost him the title.
At an indy show in 2005, the man then known as Tyler Black does a moonsault off the stomach of an overweight man in the front row and takes out Matt Sydal
Seth has a mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38, and while a lot of people suspected it was Cody Rhodes leaving AEW, the company he helped found, I didn’t personally believe it until “Kingdom” started playing. And Seth’s reaction? That laugh of his.
Summerslam 2014: Seth and Dean Ambrose in a Lumberjack Match. This broke the usual LJ mold in that neither participant could be contained in the ring. The action spilled out into the stands, and the LJs were either too busy fighting each other or couldn’t pry Seth and Dean apart to drag them back to the ring. Seth finally won by bopping Dean in the head with the MitB briefcase.
One from just now: Seth playing with a yo-yo on his way to gorilla position at Money in the Bank 2024.
TLC 2017: With Roman Reigns sidelined with the mumps and the Shield booked in a 3-on-5 main event tornado match, Rollins gives Kurt Angle a SWAT vest and makes him an honorary Shield member to round out the team