Ranking John Cena's WWE SummerSlam Matches From Worst To Best

Sometimes booking a wrestling match can be so simple, and yet so satisfying. Two era defining performers with hugely disparate career trajectories, finally finding each other with years of experience behind them, and fighting to find out who’s best. The stars truly aligned for this one.

Cena and Styles had tangled at Money In The Bank, but while the match was quality, interference from The Club sullied Styles’ win. Here, it was a different story. Styles went over Cena clean after an absolutely epic encounter.

Always better against smaller, more technical guys, Cena plays the WWE-bred superstar to Styles’ well travelled scrapper. He hurls everything he has at Styles, but just can’t get the job done. Cena’s a broad performer who plays to the back row, but his facial work is excellent here. He gets over the idea that he’s hit his foe with absolutely everything he has, but it’s still not good enough.

Cena stares at the lights and leaves his armband in the ring; it feels momentous, like it could be the end of the ride for John. And for the first time in a while, the crowd are unanimous: on this night, John Cena decidedly does not suck.