4 AEW stars who have defeated both John Cena and Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes left AEW in January 2022. The American Nightmare proceeded to join WWE, which immediately crowned the 39-year-old star as the top babyface of the promotion. At the moment, Rhodes finds himself embroiled in a heated feud with John Cena.

The Cenation Leader shocked the wrestling world at Elimination Chamber by selling his "soul" to The Rock and destroying the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. The two stars are now set to lock horns at WrestleMania 41, which could very well be one of the biggest encounters in the history of pro wrestling.

Considering how WWE has actively protected Cena and Rhodes, it will be intriguing to see who ends up on the losing side in the much-awaited contest. Interestingly, certain current AEW stars are part of an elite list of talents who have bested both The Franchise Player and The American Nightmare.

In this article, let's look at four AEW stars who have defeated both John Cena and Cody Rhodes.

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#4 Paul Wight has feuded with both John Cena and Cody Rhodes

While he may not be as active as an in-ring competitor in AEW, Paul Wight was a force to be reckoned with in WWE. The World's Largest Athlete has had issues with both John Cena and Cody Rhodes, who are two of his major rivals.

The former World Heavyweight Champion clashed with The Cenation Leader countless times during his WWE run. While he could never secure a win against Cena on pay-per-view, Paul Wight did defeat The Franchise Player on other occasions.

The 53-year-old veteran defeated the Hollywood star in February 2009, March 2009, June 2009, and March 2010. Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes felt the wrath of The World's Largest Athlete several times in 2012.

During their memorable feud, Paul Wight decimated the former TNT Champion on numerous occasions. At WrestleMania 28, the gigantic star ran through Cody Rhodes to win the Intercontinental championship.

#3 Bryan Danielson has bested both Cena and Rhodes

Bryan Danielson battled Cody Rhodes numerous times in 2011-12. It was a crucial phase for both individuals, who were eager to cement their spot in the Stamford-based promotion.

The American Nightmare faced The American Dragon a few times during his first stint with WWE. In January 2012, the two former Intercontinental Champions collided in a fun match on WWE RAW. Ultimately, it was Danielson who walked out with the victory.

John Cena could not escape Danielson's threat for too long either. The two stars locked horns for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2013, where the Leader of the Yes Movement emerged victorious.

It was a moment of celebration for Bryan Danielson, as The Peacemaker star rarely lost in those days. Unfortunately, the ecstasy did not last too long for Bryan, as Randy Orton successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on The American Dragon moments after the win to capture the WWE Title.

#2 Former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho has defeated John Cena and Cody Rhodes

Chris Jericho knows very well how to take down megastars in the squared circle. At WWE Vengeance 2001, Le Champion overcame both Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock on the same night to become the Undisputed WWE Champion.

Interestingly, the reigning ROH World Champion has also registered wins against John Cena and Cody Rhodes, who are arguably WWE's greatest babyfaces of the last two decades.

Y2J might not be too fond of his rivalry with Cena, as he has lost a great number of matches against him. However, the first-ever AEW World Champion dismantled a rookie Cena during their match in July 2002.

Not only did Jericho defeat Cena, but he also made The Franchise Player tap out after locking him in the Walls of Jericho. The Lionheart dealt a similar blow to Cody Rhodes when the two crossed paths in WWE.

The duo had a couple of singles matches in WWE in 2013. Rhodes and Jericho fought each other in May 2013 on WWE SmackDown and then had another encounter on WWE Main Event in June 2013. Interestingly, The Learning Tree came out on top on both occasions.

The most memorable showdown between the two stars transpired at Full Gear 2019, where Y2J bested The Dashing One to retain his AEW World Championship. It was a crushing defeat for The American Nightmare, as it debarred him from ever challenging for the coveted title.

#1 Jon Moxley has taken down WWE's premier babyfaces in the past

Jon Moxley has never backed down from any challenge in his illustrious pro wrestling career. Before his rise as the face of AEW, The One True King had already carved out a successful career in WWE.

During his time in the Stamford-based promotion, Moxley went back and forth with John Cena several times. In September 2016, The Purveyor of Violence stunned the world by scoring a clean win over The Cenation Leader.

The two stars engaged in a riveting encounter on WWE SmackDown, days before their match with AJ Styles at No Mercy 2016. It was a competitive contest, where Jon Moxley somehow managed to get a three count over the Hollywood star.

The Ace of AEW also has a couple of wins over the "Stardust" version of Cody Rhodes. On the March 9, 2015, episode of WWE RAW, the erstwhile Dean Ambrose took down the intergalactic creature.

The duo clashed again in an Intercontinental Championship number one contender gauntlet match on WWE SmackDown a couple of weeks later. The American Nightmare ended up on the losing side in this bout as well.

The reigning AEW World Champion could have had another match with Cody Rhodes in AEW, but that, sadly, didn't transpire.