12 Times Crowds Actually IMPROVED Wrestling Moments

2. John Cena's Return - Royal Rumble 2008

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As evidenced by early entrants in this list, John Cena can be a tough person for hardcore fans to cheer for, which is precisely what made his comeback in 2008 so special. Cena had been out with an injury for quite some time, and wasn't expected to return for quite some time. Fans had exhausted every possible face that they had to cheer for in an effort to take down Randy Orton. Triple H had been taken down repeatedly. Jericho was a step slow. And Jeff Hardy wasn't ready.

When Cena returned at the coveted number 30 spot, fans were just as much excited by the fact that they had another hero to root for, and amazed that Cena's body had this insane regenerative ability. He didn't miss a beat in the ring either, looking like his absence was only seven days in his mind.

Given that Cena would go on to win the Rumble it worked out perfectly that the fans were in his corner from the moment he stepped into the ring. Cena has often had the air taken out of his wins by apathetic or antagonistic fans, but for this one night when Cena won, with the fans so happy to see him back, it felt like the right guy would walk into Wrestlemania XXIV as a challenger for the WWE championship. Fans would go back to their booing ways, but they can't un-cheer the cheers.

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A former NCAA runner turned writer, and an ardent aficionado of all things academic, aesthetic and athletic.