John Cena, who has remained a face persona throughout his wrestling career, is widely regarded as one of the most famous babyfaces in WWE history. The SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood kept Cena close to WWE for a short time last year.
The 16-time WWE World Champion may be the most popular babyface in the industry in 2023, but it hasn’t stopped him from receiving criticism from fans on particular occasions. Recently, he reminisced of a period in his career when he was booed by WWE fans.
John Cena revisits 17-year-old match
An unusual turn of events occurred in 2006 during a match with future Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam. Even though John Cena had some problems at first on the main roster, Cena was already known as “The Guy” in WWE by 2006, which showed that he would be very strong in the years to come.
Rob Van Dam, a legend in ECW, announced before the event that he would be cashing in his Money in the Bank contract. It was evident that the packed audience did not want Cena to walk away with the belt, as they expressed their intense dislike for him.
Even before the match began, the ECW audience had demonstrated their disdain by tossing back Cena’s T-shirt. The New York audience showcased their dissatisfaction with the match through chants and interruptions that echoed throughout the stadium.
On his podcast, Rob Van Dam reflected on the situation, stating that Cena’s unpopularity stemmed from aligning with the company’s desires rather than catering to the fans’ preferences. The Cenation Leader also revisited that period, acknowledging the crowd’s notably hostile response towards him.
Rob Van Dam discusses his match against Cena
A new TikTok video by John Cena took viewers back to the unforgettable ECW One Night Stand 2006 when he squared off against Rob Van Dam in the very intense Hammerstein Ballroom. As a major player in ECW history, RVD was the opponent Cena faced off against when defending the WWE Championship.
“If Cena Wins, We Riot,” was the infamous slogan shown on a fan banner during the match. Regarding this legendary event, Cena and RVD both offered their thoughts. While the crowd’s response to RVD’s triumph against Cena was just noteworthy, Cena found himself in the position of being the most divisive wrestler in WWE history.
As RVD said on the “1 Of A Kind” podcast, Cena’s representation of the new WWE ran against what certain fans were looking for, which is why they disliked him. However, RVD pointed out that Cena wasn’t too phased by the animosity, even in the days building up to and during their bout.
A lot of people in the wrestling community are curious about when The Cenation Leader will be back in the WWE, and some are even asking if he would retire before winning 17 titles. Share your thoughts in the comments.
