John Cena: 6 examples of the US champion elevating talent

CM Punk

Alongside Edge, this may be the biggest rival John Cena has faced during his tenure in the WWE. One could argue that, attired in a Stone Cold Steve Austin shirt, CM Punk was elevated to new heights while seated on a ramp in Las Vegas and he did it on his own.

While this is true to some extent, that explosive night in Chicago would have never matched such a mesmerising atmosphere had the self-acclaimed Best in the World competed against anyone else for the most coveted prize in sports entertainment.

It is almost a necessity for a WWE crowd to have at least one sign saying “If Cena Wins, We Riot!”, but that evening in the Allstate Arena, the roars of the crowd in favour of the Second City Saint would lead one to believe that had Cena walked out victorious, there would have been a genuine riot.

The pair would do battle once more in a Champion Vs Champion match (Image courtesy wwe.com)

In a match that would be rated five stars by Dave Meltzer (the first WWE match since the turn of the millennium that he would award a five star rating), CM Punk would vanish from WWE after his contract expired.

Two weeks later, after John Cena defeated Rey Mysterio for the WWE Championship that he won at the beginning of the evening, CM Punk would march to the ring and hold aloft his WWE Championship while John Cena would do the same, creating one of the most iconic images in modern wrestling.

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Daniel Bryan

Credited with being the hottest thing in wrestling at the time, John Cena named Daniel Bryan as the challenger to his WWE Championship heading into the 2013 edition of Summerslam. His partnership with Kane as part of Team Hell No had recently came to an end, but that did not halt the Yes Man from becoming the most popular star on the roster, thanks largely due to his incredible in-ring skills.

With an ability to deliver when it comes to big matches, Cena Vs Bryan was shaping up to be an epic showdown and by the close of the show, both stars certainly had delivered.

Unfortunately for Bryan, his victory over the Cenation Leader would be short-lived, as after a Pedigree from Triple H, Randy Orton would choose that moment to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. With his wounded prey in his sights, The Viper slithered down the ramp and defeated his weakened foe for the title.

This would set up a long rivalry between Daniel Bryan and The Authority, specifically their elected face of the WWE, Randy Orton. This feud would culminate at Wrestlemania XXX, where Daniel Bryan would finally achieve victory on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Daniel Bryan after winally winning The Big One (Image courtesy wwe.com)

That emotional rollercoaster all began with four words from John Cena: “I select Daniel Bryan”.