Multi-talented American John Cena wears many hats as an actor, professional wrestler, and philanthropist. Right now, he is enjoying being addressed as the GOAT in WWE. Recently, during his return, there was a special moment when he headlined an event, thanks to the return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which was quite heartwarming.
John Cena is famous for his “never give up” attitude, a belief he’s held strong throughout his career. But in his legendary WWE career, there have been three specific moments when Cena did actually give up.
Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, and Chris Benoit are the three men who accomplished the feat. Two of those men are currently off the WWE roster, and one of them, Benoit, has been placed on a blacklist because of how his life ended. Let us recall those moments.
WWE SmackDown 2002: Chris Jericho vs. John Cena
On the SmackDown episode from July 16, 2002, John Cena and Chris Jericho clashed against one another. Cena was disqualified after Y2J struck him with a low blow. The first-ever Undisputed Champion then used the Walls of Jericho on rookie Cena, who hopelessly tapped as referees attempted to convince Y2J to release the hold.
WWE SmackDown 2003: Chris Benoit vs. John Cena
Chris Benoit, the Crippler, was the one who got Cena to tap out. Benoit gave Cena his first submission loss on television, in addition to being the first wrestler to do it. On the SmackDown broadcast on December 2, 2003, Chris successfully submitted Cena using his signature crippler crossface move. However, This encounter was removed from WWE history for a variety of reasons.
No Mercy 2003: Kurt Angle vs. John Cena
When John Cena faced the Olympic hero for the first time, Angle was the villain, and Cena was just a regular babyface. A year later, Kurt Angle, the babyface, was annoyed by John Cena’s continuous displays of disrespect because the roles had been switched and he was now the villain. He occasionally rapped about Angle as well, which was another thing that irritated the seasoned wrestler.
At No Mercy 2003, Cena met Angle in the match that had garnered the most attention for him up to that point. Angle led the rookie to a spectacular match that was easily the best of his career. In the end, Angle forced Cena to submit to the ankle lock in the center of the ring.
The GOAT had to submit to these three wrestlers. In the history of WWE, three superstars have left their mark. John Cena is still a member of the WWE as of the most recent update, and it is anticipated that he will make an appearance alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at WWE Crown Jewel.