John Cena began wrestling in California based promotion UPW in the year 2000. After impressing WWE talent scouts he signed a developmental contract and was moved to OVW, WWE’s training facility. After rising to the top of OVW Cena came to the WWE by answering an open challenge from Kurt Angle on SmackDown. Despite coming out on the losing end Cena had sent Angle to his limit and impressed everyone with his heart and desire.

He began making a name for himself after defeating Chris Jericho at Vengeance 2002 and soon after, he debuted a new character on a Halloween-themed episode of SmackDown. Dressed like a rapper Cena began cutting his promos in rhyme referring to his fans as the ‘Chain Gang’ and soon managed to become the number 1 contender to the WWE Championship. He eventually fell to champion Brock Lesnar at Backlash 2003 but proved he was someone to look out for in the future. After being eliminated by the Big Show in the 2004 Royal Rumble match, Cena took his revenge by beating Big Show for his United States Championship at WrestleMania 20. After being stripped of the title by then SmackDown General Manager Kurt Angle, Cena eventually won the title back at No Mercy 2004 after winning a best of 5 match series against Booker T. Soon after, riding on his tremendous popularity Cena debuted a custom made US title belt that spun.

At No Way Out 2005 John Cena became the number 1 contender to the WWE Championship after defeating Kurt Angle. Then came the biggest win of Cena’s career up to that point as he ended the near year long title reign of John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield by FU-ing him for the 1-2-3 at WrestleMania 21. He then customised the WWE Championship which infuriated JBL until Cena finally closed his mouth by beating him in an ‘I Quit’ match at Judgment Day 2005. After moving to Raw in the WWE Draft, Cena successfully defended his title against both Christian and Chris Jericho at Vengeance 2005 and against Chris Jericho in a one-on-one match at SummerSlam 2005. After sending Jericho out of the WWE, Cena began a rivalry with Kurt Angle. Cena came out the winner of the war when he defeated Angle at Survivor Series 2005. After successfully defending the WWE Championship in a brutal Elimination Chamber Match at New Years Revolution 2006 Cena looked set to complete a full calendar year as WWE Champion. However, Edge attacked him after the match and cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and became the new champion. Fortunately for Cena he managed to regain the title at the 2006 Royal Rumble and went on to face Triple H at WrestleMania 22. In a mammoth struggle it was Cena who was the victor but he wasn’t to hold on to the title much longer. New Money in the Bank contract holder Rob Van Dam cashed in his title shot at One Night Stand 2006 and after Edge interfered he became the new champion. Edge regained the belt soon after and by using dubious means to defeat Cena at SummerSlam 2006 it all came down to Unforgiven 2006- TLC in Edge’s hometown. After a brutal war it was Cena who came out champion against all the odds.

In the New Year Cena was challenged by the undefeated Umaga but it was Cena who handed the ‘Samoan Bulldozer’ his first defeat at New Years Revolution 2007. They fought again at Royal Rumble 2007 where Cena choked Umaga out with a rope after Umaga splashed him through a table. The very next night John Cena teamed up with soon to be WrestleMania 23 opponent- Shawn Michaels and the two became very unlikely World Tag Team Champions. Cena came out of WrestleMania still WWE Champion after making Michaels submit to the STF-U. Another superstar yet to be pinned or submitted then challenged Cena, 7 foot Punjabi giant, the Great Khali. Cena though, became the first person to submit him at Judgment Day 2007 and the first man to pin him, at One Night Stand 2007.

After Randy Orton was named the number 1 contender he took on Cena at SummerSlam 2007. Despite hitting Cena with all his best offense it was John Cena who came out WWE Champion and after Orton attacked his Dad, Cena retained again at Unforgiven 2007. That meant Cena had completed a full calendar year as WWE Champion, something that hadn’t been done in over 19 years. However, on an episode of Raw the next month Cena tore his pectoral muscle and was told to take 6-12 months off for rehabilitation.

Then, three months later in one of the biggest surprises in WWE history, Cena entered the 2008 Royal Rumble as a surprise 30th entrant and won a title shot by last eliminating old rival, Triple H. Using his title shot at the following month’s No Way Out 2008 Cena took on WWE Champion Randy Orton but although he won by disqualification it was not enough to take the belt home. Cena was involved in the Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania 24 for the WWE Championship and also the Fatal-Four Way Elimination Match at Backlash 2008 but was unable to recapture the gold. In the latter match Cena eliminated JBL and was challenged by him to a match at Judgment Day 2008. After beating Bradshaw at the said event he again beat him in a First Blood Match at One Night Stand 2008 but lost a NYC Parking Lot Brawl at The Great American Bash 2008. Soon after it was announced that Cena would face Batista for the first time ever at SummerSlam 2008. In the meantime the duo won and lost the World Tag Team Championship but when it came to SummerSlam it was Batista who got the win. After being announced for the WWE Championship Scramble the following month, Cena had to pull out due to a neck injury. Who knows when Cena will be back in WWE but rest assured when he does it will be with a bang!