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WrestleMania without John Cena just doesn't feel right. Sure, many WWE fans have now gotten used to Cena not being a prominent player on WWE TV on a weekly basis. But the multi-time WWE World Champion definitely remains a big part of WrestleMania's elusive history.
Throughout the years, John Cena has competed against some of the best Superstars at The Grandest Stage of Them All. From veterans like Edge and Triple H to up-and-comers such as The Miz and Bray Wyatt, Cena has shared the ring with various stars.
John Cena's transition into a part-timer doesn't take away from the fact that The Leader of the Cenation has done his bit to make WrestleMania as entertaining as possible.
The latest example of this pattern came last year, when John Cena delivered a classic 'Mania match against The Fiend. With WWE being forced to host WrestleMania behind closed doors, Cena and The Fiend stepped up big time and put together one of the best cinematic matches of all time.
Rumors have suggested that the former world champion might not be appearing at this year's WrestleMania 37. With WWE set to bring back the live crowd at Raymond James Stadium, Cena's absence will definitely be felt if he indeed misses out on WrestleMania.
However, with WWE's biggest annual show right around the corner, this seems like the perfect time to revisit some of John Cena's old classics from WrestleMania.
#5. John Cena vs. The Fiend - WrestleMania 36
At WrestleMania 36, John Cena and The Fiend delivered an all-time classic and a match that one usually wouldn't expect to see on WWE TV. In the lead-up to 'Mania 36, Cena had claimed that a spot at the biggest WWE show of the year should be earned and not handed to Superstars.
This stance eventually prompted a challenge from The Fiend, and John Cena agreed to face Bray Wyatt's alter ego. At the event, Cena and Wyatt put on a masterpiece in a Firefly Fun House Match.
The match reflected on the various stages of Cena's career as he went through a series of dream sequences.
Wyatt even appeared in his former persona, as The Wyatt Family cult-leader, and reminded John Cena of the outcome of their first 'Mania meeting at WrestleMania XXX. During the match, Cena even portrayed "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan while Wyatt played the role of nWo's Eric Bischoff.
In the closing stages, Wyatt hit Sister Abigail and the Mandible Claw on John Cena to eventually secure the win.
#4. John Cena vs. Edge vs. The Big Show - WrestleMania 25
At WrestleMania 25, John Cena shared the ring with two other veterans of the business in Edge and The Big Show.
The event itself remains one of the most memorable 'Mania shows of all time. However, one of the biggest highlights of the evening was John Cena lifting his opponents, in a huge attempt to hit the Attitude Adjustment.
WrestleMania 25 is best known for The Undertaker's thrilling match against Shawn Michaels. But the co-main event, featuring John Cena, Edge, and Big Show was certainly an interesting Triple Threat Match. Three of WWE's biggest stars clashed in a bout for the World Heavyweight Championship.
On his way to the ring, John Cena walked out with an army of look-alikes. For the most part, both Cena and Edge teamed up to take out the bigger man in the Big Show. Cena eventually hit the Attitude Adjustment on the giant to secure the victory and win the World Heavyweight Championship.
This triumph at WrestleMania 25 marked the beginning of John Cena's second reign as the World Heavyweight Champion, and it remains one of the most unforgettable highlights of his career.
#3. John Cena vs. The Rock - WrestleMania XXVIII
The "Once in a Lifetime" match between John Cena and The Rock and the Hell in a Cell clash between The Undertaker and Triple H will go down in history. For this reason, WrestleMania XXVIII remains fondly remembered due to these two iconic matches.
Cena's showdown with The Rock was set during the build-up to WrestleMania XXVII. The Rock was the guest host of the show, but things quickly took a turn and the Hollywood star found himself in the middle of a rivalry against Cena.
The Rock ultimately cost Cena his match in the main event of WrestleMania XXVII, so the Leader of the Cenation challenged The Rock to face him the following year. The looming match between the two icons was built up on WWE programming for an entire year, which is unheard of in modern wrestling.
The match itself was highly competitive, and John Cena even attempted two Attitude Adjustments on The Rock for a near fall. Out of desperation, Cena attempted a People's Elbow, but The Rock countered it for a Rock Bottom to secure the victory.
This bout lived up to its "Once in a Lifetime" billing, at least until WWE booked the sequel for WrestleMania 29.
#2. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania 23
John Cena's road to WrestleMania 23 was based around Shawn Michaels' mission to win his WWE Championship. The duo teamed up on multiple occasions ahead of their match at The Showcase of the Immortals.
They formed quite an unusual, dynamic pairing between themselves, and they even won the WWE World Tag Team Championship together.
But on the final RAW before WrestleMania 23, Michaels turned his back on John Cena. In a tag team match featuring the duo against Batista and The Undertaker, HBK hit Cena with a superkick and made it quite clear that he was gunning for Cena's title.
Headlining his second WrestleMania in a row, John Cena was determined to put away Michaels after he beat Triple H, in the main event of WrestleMania 22.
The match between John Cena and HBK lived up to all the hype, as the two men took each other to the limit.
Cena and Michaels had the longest match of the evening, and the champion successfully defended his title by submitting Michaels with the STF.
#1. John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt - WrestleMania XXX
John Cena had one of the best matches of all time in the the history of WrestleMania at the thirtieth anniversary of the event.
WrestleMania XXX is mostly known for Daniel Bryan's heroics and Brock Lesnar's shocking win over The Undertaker. But on the same night, John Cena also overcame one of the most intimidating challenges of his career in the form of Bray Wyatt.
At Royal Rumble 2014, The Wyatt Family set their sights on John Cena for the first time and cost him the WWE Championship against Randy Orton. Wyatt was determined to end the "era of lies" and for him, it began by exposing Cena.
The match at WrestleMania XXX began with Wyatt kneeling on his knees and immediately asking John Cena to finish him off and reveal his inner monster. But Cena kept refusing Wyatt's offer, and even the presence of both Erick Rowan and Luke Harper at ringside wasn't enough to distract Cena.
The Leader of the Cenation eventually hit Rowan with a steel chair, but Wyatt tried and failed to capitalize on the distraction. John Cena hit another Attitude Adjustment to put away Wyatt in one of the biggest WrestleMania victories of his career.
A few years down the road, Wyatt avenged his loss to Cena when he welcomed his rival into his very own Fun House. Both matches showcased the incredible chemistry between Cena and Wyatt.
