5 Wrestlers Who Beat John Cena (And What Happened Next)

The culmination of everything the Bearded One had worked for within professional wrestling came at SummerSlam 2013. Daniel Bryan was the hand-picked contender for John Cena’s WWE Championship, and he was galvanising a movement of fans that believed in him 100%, despite every indication that the company he worked for didn’t.

In a hard-fought contest between two probable future brother-in-laws, Bryan put Cena away with the running knee and became the WWE Champion. Fans rejoiced at the prospect of the Aberdeen native getting a lengthy babyface run with the title, taking on all comers and putting on wrestling clinics for the top prize in sports entertainment.

Those prospects were shattered within minutes when Randy Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, with help from Triple H. Bugger.

What that kick-started, however, was a huge swell of support for the man that many had felt was screwed out of his rightful spot. While WWE had no plans for Daniel Bryan to become their top guy, fans demanded better for a man who’d devoted his life and his body to wrestling, which ended up being the catalyst for him being put in the main event of WrestleMania.

So at WrestleMania XXX, when Batista tapped to the Yes Lock to crown Bryan as the new WWE Champion, the most almighty of payoffs was reached and our guy got to the top of the mountain.

Sadly, Bryan never reached those heights again. After a corny feud with Demon Kane, he had to surrender the title due a career-threatening injury. He returned to enter (and lose) the following Royal Rumble, had a couple of great matches with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, and won the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 31. But again, he had to surrender the title to injury.

As we all know, Daniel Bryan retired in early 2016 in one of the most heartbreaking moments in WWE history. Fans mourned an incredible talent, and pondered on what could’ve been. When the man returned as the General Manager of SmackDown Live, it was comforting to see him with a smile on his face and on our screens, but it’ll never be the same.

It’s hard to place Daniel Bryan’s career trend – he achieved so much after defeating John Cena, but now finds himself the only man on this list to no longer wrestle, despite being the second youngest.

Career trend: Up to the highest of highs, then down to the lowest of lows. Climbing once more.