10 Youngest WWE Champions Ever
8. John Cena - 27
Date First WWE Title Won: April 3rd, 2005
Age: 27 years, 11 months, 11 days
John Cena and Dave Batista ended WrestleMania as Champions of their respective brands in a visible commitment from WWE to finally look towards the future rather than dwelling on a storied past.
Cena's rise from the embers of the Attitude Era was symbolic of the company's struggle to move on from their commercial peak. Exhibiting 'Ruthless Aggression' as a white meat babyface when Vince McMahon tried desperately tried to get the phrase over as a brand new ethos, he unexpectedly clicked with audiences when he turned heel as a near-the-knuckle rapping douchebag.
His character had yet to fully morph into the 'Never Give Up' super face by WrestleMania 21, with legitimate fan support helping elevate his pedestrian title victory over heel overlord John Bradshaw Layfield.
The ultimate success story of the company's half-baked 2002 youth movement, Cena's new entrance music exclaimed that his time was now, and it couldn't have been more appropriate.