10 Best Major John Cena Feuds

6. Vs. Brock Lesnar

John Cena, Brock Lesnar
WWE.com

Brock Lesnar's pre-match promos, ahead of their titular Extreme rules 2012 bout - those he didn't cut in the ring, at least - were dynamite. Lesnar was tired of Cena's "bullcr*p". He didn't care about what was running through Cena's mind. He was more concerned about what was running down Cena's leg: p*ss. "He's sh*tting his pants, is what he's doing."

This was jaw-dropping, real, edgy, stripped-back stuff in the PG era of long-winded scripted promos - a phenomenal means of depicting Lesnar as something antithetical to the WWE norm. Their awesome pull-apart brawl was so powerful that WWE has repeated the formula to diminished returns ever since. Lesnar bloodied Cena's mouth hardway with a stiff punch in a shocking and ugly scene. The match itself was one baffling finish away from becoming an undisputed classic. There is no way Cena should have went over. It diluted Lesnar's aura. Cena, meanwhile, was meant to be in the midst of a confidence crisis designed to promote his "chance for redemption" at WrestleMania 29. WWE righted those wrongs when they revisited the rivalry two years later. Lesnar, having conquered the Undertaker's Streak at WrestleMania XXX, became the most kayfabe dominant act in the history of the company by erecting the foundations of Suplex City.

Awesome and different matches; an aura of ugly realism; unpredictability - this feud was as good as modern WWE gets.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!