10 Surprisingly Violent PG Era WWE Matches

7. John Cena vs. Edge (Backlash 2009)

Randy Orton John Cena
WWE.com

Rounding out Edge's inclusion on this list, he constructed a wonderful match against John Cena at the last ever Backlash Pay-Per-View in April, 2009. Just months before he would square off with Jeff Hardy in a wholly memorable Ladder Match, Edge was working wonders despite being pretty much constantly in pain due to niggling neck injuries.

Those injuries would eventually cost him his career less than 2 years later, but at Backlash '09, the 'Rated-R Superstar' was on top of his game. Cena and Edge had always worked well together, and they deserve praise for being able to put on a stiff brawl without blood in their Last Man Standing Match on this show.

Long before The Big Show thumped Cena through a nearby spotlight on the stage area, ending the match and securing the WWE Title for Edge, both men had given their all to piece together something dynamic and exciting. Early-2009 was a strange time, as WWE were still really figuring out the 'PG' process, but Cena and Edge deserve plaudits for delivering a violent match that was still suitable for a younger audience.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.