Remember when John Cena was heavily booed at a WWE event? All you need to know about the incident

John Cena’s run as WWE’s top guy has given fans some of the most spectacular moments in the history of this business. The charismatic superstar's reign at the top turned him into a divisive figure in the eyes of many in the WWE Universe. Here’s arguably the biggest Cena hate moment in WWE history.

John Cena walked into hostile territory as WWE Champion on June 11, 2006. It was the second ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view and the champion was on a collision course with the 2006 Mr. Money in the Bank, Rob Van Dam.

The crowd inside the iconic Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center bombarded Mr. Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect with boos as soon as he walked to the ring for the main event. It was truly an iconic sight, and arguably the only instance where Cena had no supporters among the fans.

Ever the consummate professional, Cena stuck to his guns and sent his shirt flying into the crowd as usual, only for ECW diehards to throw it back to the ring. He tried and failed again; this time getting the bird from the fan who threw it back at him.

Watching all the action in person was a young Kevin Steen. The future Kevin Owens was among the 2,460 fans who packed the Hammerstein Ballroom to watch their hero RVD dethrone John Cena for the WWE Championship.

What happened during John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam at WWE ECW One Night Stand?

The match started and the two superstars engaged in a test of strength. Cena had the strength advantage, but the unorthodox Van Dam was not to be taken lightly. The crowd ripped into the champion with their NSFW chants.

ECW One Night Stand 2006 was the closest fans got to seeing John Cena almost turning heel, after he displayed ruthless aggression (no pun attended) and assaulted the referee. Cena was dominating the closing moments of the match, until Edge arrived, to lay him out with a spear through a wooden table.

The Rated R Superstar’s interference allowed Van Dam to set Cena for his signature five-star frog splash. RVD got Cena down for the count, but there was no referee. Paul Heyman rushed to the ring and counted down to three.

With that, the WWE Championship became extreme.