The most polarizing star in World Wrestling Entertainment history, John Cena's third WWE Championship reign saw him wrestle a variety of different opponents and established him as one of the best, yet most criticized, workers in the industry. His matches with Umaga, Great Khali and Bobby Lashley were all significantly better than they had any right to be and played to the strengths of those competitors. Matches against Shawn Michaels, Edge and Randy Orton were much more aesthetically pleasing and rank as some of the leader of the Cenation's best. The reign began on September 17, 2006 when he defeated Edge in a TLC match before a rabid fanbase in the Rated R Superstar's hometown of Toronto. The match forced Cena into an environment he was not at all comfortable with, yet he still managed to deliver a performance that helped make that contest one of the best of the year. From there, he would compete in a war with Umaga, defeating the "Samoan Bulldozer" in a bloody Last Man Standing at the Royal Rumble. For over a year, Cena consistently proved himself, adapting his ring work to fit the opposition he competed against. In the process, he gained the trust of management, who already saw him as the top star in the industry and now could count on him to deliver when lights were brightest and stages grandest. His rivalry with Orton in the fall of 2007 had gained a tremendous amount of steam and was turning out to be one of the most personal and heated feuds the company had seen in sometime. Then tragedy struck and Cena suffered a torn pectoral muscle, prematurely ending his reign as champion on October 7, 2007. Still, the year-long title reign proved that Cena was the rare performer that was capable of carrying the title as long as he did without experiencing any significant drop-off in business. He was a constant for the brand during a period that saw several significant injuries sideline the likes of Triple H and Rey Mysterio while others, such as Shawn Michaels and Rob Van Dam, took hiatuses from the squared circle.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
