John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar: Ranking every match in their epic rivalry before WWE Wrestlepalooza

John Cena and Brock Lesnar will battle for the last time at WWE Wrestlepalooza this weekend. Their feud has a short but rich history, spanning from prospects to world champions to future Hall of Famers through three decades. 

Cena and Lesnar, despite being two of the biggest success stories of the Ruthless Aggression era, only share six singles matches. Lesnar leads their series 4-2. Cena can’t bridge the gap on Saturday, but a moral victory in their final meeting is worth fighting for. Lesnar has wiped the floor with Cena in the lead-up to Wrestlepalooza, laying him out at SummerSlam and SmackDown in non-match segments. Cena’s back is against the wall on Saturday, but it’s where he wrestles most comfortably.

Before the last encounter between Cena and Lesnar, continue below as we revisit, rank, and watch key matches in their anthology.

6. SmackDown (Sept. 19, 2002)

At Wrestlepalooza, Cena and Lesnar are seasoned veterans. The same can’t be said for their first match. Saturday’s headliners were months into their main roster runs in 2002. Cena and Lesnar trained together in the developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, as part of a legendary class with Randy Orton and Batista, but they never wrestled each other. Lesnar was further up the food chain, already the undisputed WWE champion, while Cena struggled to stand out. Their first match took place six weeks before Cena debuted the “Doctor of Thuganomics” gimmick that would lead him to stardom. Cena and Lesnar had little chemistry, and this was nothing more than a squash match. Lesnar whooped on his OVW classmate for the most part before delivering a swift F5.

5. Backlash (2003)

Cena completely reinvented himself in the seven months after their first singles encounter. Cena, now rapping and rocking jean shorts, had rocketed up the card. Backlash was a testament to Cena’s change in fortune. WWE had considered releasing Cena before Stephanie McMahon gave him a hip-hop makeover. Less than a year later, Cena was challenging for the company’s top prize in a pay-per-view main event. Unfortunately, Cena’s “Rocky” story did not translate to a memorable match. This WWE championship match ran too long, and Cena’s in-ring skills hadn’t yet caught up to his new popularity. The result was a mostly one-sided affair that overstayed its welcome. Lesnar closed the show with an F5 and took another win in their series.

4. SmackDown (Feb. 13, 2003)

Cena and Lesnar’s best match of the 2000s was wedged between the previous two entries. Lesnar took a detour from his popular feud with Kurt Angle. Cena was riding high off newfound popularity. Their second encounter already had way more steam than their first match. The match laid a blueprint for how their feud would carry over in the coming decades. Lesnar grounded his foe with superior technique and physicality. Cena showed heart in recouping and rallying back against the seemingly indestructible monster. Cena nearly had the match won after clocking Lesnar with his signature chain, but Lesnar shook it off and scored the pinfall with an F5. Their Backlash match demanded more than they could offer. This shorter runtime let Cena and Lesnar deliver something more enjoyable than what came immediately after.

3. Night of Champions (2014)

You’ll notice a trend: Cena and Lesnar’s later matches trump their early efforts. There are a few reasons for that. Both men were very young in their careers. Though Lesnar was immediately positioned at the top of the card, it took Cena two years to find his footing. Narrowing our lens onto Night of Champions, their most recent singles encounter was their least compelling of the three. SummerSlam benefitted from refreshing booking. Extreme Rules had novelty and a well-utilized stipulation. Night of Champions was solid, but familiar. Cena nearly redeemed a recent loss to Lesnar by locking in an STF. However, Seth Rollins drew a disqualification by attacking Cena with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Cena was awarded the win, but titles cannot change ownership by DQ or count-out. Textbook booking and an inconclusive finish put this match a step below what came before it in the 2010s.

2. SummerSlam (2014)

This match is the genesis and, perhaps, one of the best examples of Lesnar’s modern style. Lesnar trashed Cena the entire time, landing more than a dozen suplexes and two F5s to claim the WWE championship. Paul Heyman coined the phrase “suplex city” in response to this match. Cena’s momentary comebacks were easily snuffed out as Lesnar ragdolled him. It was shocking to see Cena, at the height of his powers, so easily dismantled. Lesnar’s limited formula is a mixed bag today. Back then, it was a shocking novelty.

1. Extreme Rules (2012)

Cena and Lesnar’s first encounter in nine years is widely considered their best. Their cache allowed them to emphasize the Extreme Rules stipulation in a time when WWE shied from blood and violence. Lesnar brutalized Cena for most of the match, laying the groundwork for how dominantly he’d be booked moving forward. Cena embodied his “Super Cena” persona, overcoming everything Lesnar threw at him, sealing the victory with an Attitude Adjustment onto steel steps. Their match benefited from its rare, box office atmosphere. It was Lesnar’s first match since leaving WWE in 2004 following his shocking return after WrestleMania 28. Lesnar was now a former UFC heavyweight champion, and Cena was coming off a blockbuster match with The Rock. The stars aligned perfectly, from storytelling to in-ring action, to produce their best match 10 years after their first.