One MIND-BLOWING Secret For Every WWE SummerSlam

10. 2016 | Six Straight

John Cena sad sad man
WWE

This is less a mind-blowing secret, more a matter of record, but still: it fits the brief because it’s a staggering statistic. At the 2016 edition of the show, John ‘Super’ Cena lost his sixth consecutive SummerSlam match against AJ Styles. 

At SummerSlam 2015, Cena lost to Seth Rollins with a weird assist from Jon Stewart. At SummerSlam 2014, he was annihilated by Brock Lesnar. At SummerSlam 2013, he did another clean job for Daniel Bryan. At SummerSlam 2012, Cena lost a Triple Threat WWE title match, even if he didn’t take the fall; CM Punk dumped him out of the ring before pinning the Big Show. At SummerSlam 2011, in a cop-out of a finish but a job nonetheless, Cena, his foot under the rope undetected by special guest referee Triple H, lost to CM Punk. A terrible run for anybody, not least one of the most protected wrestlers in the history of the game. How did this happen? 

Well, by 2015 and 2016, Cena was phasing himself out, and Vince McMahon had pinpointed Roman Reigns as his successor. This version of Cena could lose a few to build up some other guys; he was closer to the end of his run than the beginning. 2014 almost had to happen because Triple H did such a remarkable, nigh-on impossible job of making Brock Lesnar seem boring. 2013 was shocking, particularly since WWE wasn’t entirely convinced about Bryan. 2012 barely counted. Cena was “protected” in 2011, too. 

A very strange streak, even if most of the results actually made sense in context.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!