The Rock vs John Cena: Full WWE Rivalry History

These are two of the most famous names in WWE history

The recent showdown between the Rock and John Cena happened at the WrestleMania 40 where the sixteen-time World Champion came to save Cody Rhodes from the reinforcer Solo Sikoa.

The Rock on the other hand was with Roman Reigns, the Tribal Chief and acted as the Final Boss who would help him save his Championship. While this is not the first time both Rock and Cena were together in the same ring, let’s dive into what happened earlier when the two were involved in the other storylines.

The Rock vs John Cena: How it all began?

It all began in 2011 when The Rock returned to WWE after a lengthy hiatus. John Cena was already established as the face of WWE, and tension quickly arose between the two megastars due to their competitive nature and conflicting personalities.

WrestleMania 27

The rivalry involving The Rock, John Cena, and The Miz reached its peak leading up to WrestleMania XXVII. The Rock’s return to WWE after seven years as the host of WrestleMania stirred the pot, as he publicly mocked both Cena and The Miz. Cena’s victory in the Elimination Chamber match earned him a WWE Championship opportunity against The Miz. The verbal sparring escalated, with Cena even producing a rap questioning The Rock’s commitment to WWE.

The Rock responded via satellite, defending his career choices and citing his role in paving the way for wrestlers in Hollywood. Tensions boiled over on the March 28 episode of Raw, with a physical confrontation involving all three men, culminating in Cena delivering an Attitude Adjustment to The Rock, who helped the Miz thereafter in the WrestleMania to defend his title against Cena in the main event.

WrestleMania 28

Their rivalry intensified with verbal jabs and physical confrontations, both in and out of the ring, as they exchanged insults and challenged each other’s legacies. The Rock, known for his electrifying charisma and Hollywood success, mocked Cena’s “cookie-cutter” persona, while Cena criticized The Rock for leaving WWE to pursue a career in movies.

The feud reached its peak at WrestleMania XXVIII in 2012, where they faced off in a highly anticipated “Once in a Lifetime” match. The Rock emerged victorious in their first encounter, but the rivalry didn’t end there.

WrestleMania 29

In the following year, Cena sought redemption, leading to a rematch at WrestleMania 29 in 2013 when both of them won their respective Royal Rumble matches. This time, Cena claimed victory, tying the score between the two icons.

Despite their differences, both The Rock and Cena eventually gained mutual respect for each other’s contributions to the industry. Their rivalry showcased the essence of WWE storytelling, blending athleticism, drama, and larger-than-life personalities.

WrestleMania 32

Their rivalry evolved into more of a mutual respect, as both men acknowledged each other’s achievements and contributions to the industry. They occasionally teamed up in tag team matches, showcasing a rare alliance between two of WWE’s biggest stars.

One notable instance of their collaboration was at WrestleMania 32 in 2016, where The Rock made a surprise appearance to announce the attendance record for the event. Cena joined him in the ring, and they delivered an electrifying moment together, much to the delight of the fans.

WrestleMania 40

While we are not sure if we will be able to look both Cena and Rock in the same ring together again. WrestleMania 40 was the best of all time where Rock got an upper hand against Cena. Cena came to help the American Nightmare and received a rock bottom from the final boss in the center of the ring.

The Rock can always see you boy.– Final Boss pic.twitter.com/O11rkvAdib

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) April 15, 2024

It will be interesting to see how they both plan their feud for the next time. As Triple H takes over it will be important to see how WWE progresses in this new era.

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