9. Beating Chris Jericho On First Ever Pay-Per-View
Mere weeks after his televised debut, John Cena faced Chris Jericho at the Vengeance Pay-Per-View in July. Originally, the scheduled result was a Jericho win, but the Canadian saw something special in the newcomer. Working hard behind the scenes, Jericho had the outcome changed to a Cena win, feeling it would really help establish the rookie on the main roster. He was right, it did. During the bout, Cena was still wearing his stock grappling gear, but he was mobile and felt like something new for fans to become invested in. There was a noticeable lack of character on display, but Cena didn't look out of place against even the very top stars from the get-go. That's of real credit to the guy, as is the fact Jericho said he was very easy to work with. The win against Jericho helped cement Cena's position on the main roster, but it was clear he'd need something more than victories to become a big star. Nonetheless, this was a massive moment for the man personally, considering he'd only made his debut less than a month before. That much-needed personality was just around the corner.