6. United States Championship Street Fight vs. Jesus - Armageddon 2004
In October 2004, John Cena dropped the WWE United States Championship to Carlito Caribbean Cool and disappeared from WWE television, the story being that he had been attacked and stabbed at a night club after the SmackDown tapings. In typical WWE fashion, no criminal charges were filed. Instead, Cena returned and vowed revenge against his attacker. Because...logic. Cena returned at the Survivor Series, joined Eddie Guerrero, Big Show and Rob Van Dam in a clean sweep of a team also including Carlito, then defeated the cocky and arrogant second-generation star to reclaim his title. There was just one last piece of unfinished business he had to tend to and that was in the form of the former champion's bodyguard Jesus, the man responsible for his assault with a deadly weapon. At Armageddon, the competitors engaged in a Street Fight for Cena's US title and to say the results were less-than stellar would be an understatement. Cena was comical in his intense approach to the match and neither man was really ready for a match of that profile. While the leader of the Chain Gang would ascend the WWE ladder and capture the company's top prize just months later at WrestleMania 21, it was crystal clear that he absolutely needed the few months between the December 2004 pay-per-view and the Showcase of the Immortals in April of 2005 to grow into the spot he would be asked to excel in. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5g0q1_john-cena-vs-jesus-armageddon-2004_sport In many ways, the match with Jesus would be the last really ugly match he would have for quite some time.
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.
