WWE Raw Gallery: 25 Years Of Iconic Monday Nights
6. 2012 - Capping Off WrestleMania Weekend
Dateline: 2nd April, 2012
John Cena needed the smile wiping off his face almost as much as the post-WrestleMania audience wanted it.
Much to the chagrin of his longstanding critics, 'The Champ' had often blown off major defeats with a smirk the next day, undermining both his opponent and the very purpose of his life as a professional wrestler if the whole charade was actually for real.
He was doing the same again in 2012 even as he began a 'worst year ever' following defeat to The Rock one night earlier. Acting for one night as an advocate of the people he couldn't care less about, Brock Lesnar drove his grin into the canvas with a shock F5.
Rumours had circled that 'The Beast' was due a return, but his unannounced return to WWE had never felt so welcome. Hoofing Cena's bright green snapback into the crowd with utter contempt, Brock's mere presence was the perfect tonic to his divisive topline replacement.