It is hard to remember a period of time before John Cena became a main event star but there it was, way back in the beginning of 2005, just prior to WrestleMania 21. He was a major fan-favorite, a white boy rapper whose raunchy lyrics had endeared him to fans holding onto the last few remnants of the Attitude Era. He was interesting, entertaining and unique at a time when there was not much to really root for. But he was not a main event performer. Not by any means. Cena had developed a nice little place on the roster as the popular midcard babyface who flirted with the main event through matches with Kurt Angle, Big Show, Eddie Guerrero and The Undertaker, but had never carved out a spot at the top of the card for himself. That is, until he defeated John Bradshaw Layfield (more on him in a bit) for the WWE Championship at on the grandest stage of them all. On that night, he catapulted himself into superstardom and onto a ride that has never stopped. Since that night 11 years ago, he has remained the measuring stick of WWE, but that never would have been the case had the championship not absolutely made him during his first reign. Over time he was mutually beneficial to it, increasing the credibility and prestige of the industry's most sought-after prize.
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.
