John Cena's 5 greatest rivals of all time

#4 AJ Styles

Cena couldn't see Styles coming.

Mr. TNA and Mr. WWE squared off in 2016 and 2017 to create absolute wrestling magic. An unlikely duo, Cena and Styles was a dream match for many people but one that people never thought they would see. What they did in 2016 was great, but their final match in 2017 captivated wrestling fans to a point that it will be talked about for years to come.

Styles had come to WWE and been promoted really well. After a surprising loss at WrestleMania 32 to Chris Jericho, Styles became the number 1 contender to Roman Reigns' WWE Championship. This gave him credibility, for his eventual feud with John Cena over the summer of 2016. Their first match came at Battleground 2016, as Cena teamed up with Enzo and Cass against Styles, Gallows and Anderson (The Club).

Cena pinned Styles to win this match. The next two matches saw Styles beat Cena, first at Money in the Bank and the next, and more emphatic one, at SummerSlam. Styles eventually became WWE Champion, in a triple rivalry involving Dean Ambrose also.

Their best match came in 2017 when the two faced off for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. This match is considered to be one of the best of either man's career. A very NJPW style match, where both men went for high spot after high spot, the near falls and finishers kept the crowd hooked. Even though Styles' great championship run came to an end at the hands of John Cena, this match was the best way to end this rivalry.