John Cena is one of the most polarizing figures in WWE history. A large chunk of that reaction has to do with Big Match John's stranglehold on the main event scene through the years, earning him 16 world title reigns. There is no one in the history of professional wrestling that has divided fans like Cena has. The Cenation Leader's dedication to WWE is second to none and deserves a lot of respect and credit for his passion for the business. Nonetheless, many feel that Big Match John has stolen the spotlight on numerous occasions.
Cena is a record-equalling 16-time world champion with a record 13 WWE Championship runs, which is astonishing. He is also a three-time World Heavyweight Champion, but he is more synonymous with the WWE Championship. It remains to be seen if Cena will stand alone with the most world title reigns. Not all of Cena's 16 world title reigns have been spectacular with some being forgettable for his lofty standards.
Updated on September 24th, 2021 by Kevin Pantoja: In the eyes of some fans, John Cena will never be considered the greatest world champion in wrestling history. Even though he has 16 reigns, he did get them in an era where titles changed hands more frequently. With more television shows each week and innovations like the Money in the Bank concept (which John Cena has been a victim of numerous times), there are more world champions than ever. That's why John Cena (and the likes of Randy Orton, Edge, and Charlotte Flair) has plenty of world title reigns that were forgettable, lasted only a few days, or felt totally unnecessary.
16 WWE Championship - 2010 (8th Reign)
John Cena regained the WWE Championship from Sheamus in a brutal Elimination Chamber match in 2010 at the inaugural Elimination Chamber event. However, Cena's sixth WWE Championship reign ended before it even began gaining traction.
Mr. McMahon awarded Batista a WWE Championship match immediately after the bell against a wounded Cena. Batista took advantage by capturing the title from Cena with it being Cena's shortest WWE Championship reign. They'd meet in a proper match at WrestleMania XXVI and then a few PPVs afterward as well.
15 WWE Championship - 2017 (16th Reign)
It was only a matter of time that Cena would equal Ric Flair's haul of 16 world title reigns, but the question was where it was going to happen. Big Match John had a blockbuster trilogy with AJ Styles and the two locked horns once more at the 2017 Royal Rumble with Styles' WWE Championship at stake.
Unquestionably, this is ranked among Cena's best matches in his stellar WWE career. It was an instant classic with the Cenation leader finally becoming a 16-time world champion. This reign was historical but not memorable as it was a transitional one with Bray Wyatt winning the title two weeks later inside the Elimination Chamber.
14 WWE Championship - 2011 (12th Reign)
The summer of 2011 belonged to CM Punk but Cena was a huge component in Punk's success. Punk became the Undisputed WWE Champion at SummerSlam, but Alberto Del Rio got involved in this feud by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase to win the WWE Title.
However, Cena received his mandatory rematch at Night of Champions when he ended Del Rio's short title reign with the STF. Furthermore, Cena reached double digits by clinching a historic 10th WWE Championship. This reign was unfortunately meaningless as Cena dropped the title only two weeks later back to Del Rio in the first-ever triple threat Hell in a Cell match.
13 WWE Championship - 2011 (11th Reign)
The WWE Championship was in limbo when CM Punk unceremoniously walked out of WWE when his contract expired at Money in the Bank 2011. Therefore, a tournament was created to crown a new WWE Champion with the title "vacant."
Rey Mysterio overcame The Miz to kickstart his maiden WWE Championship reign. However, Cena returned and invoked his rematch clause with success that same night. Alas, Punk showed up with his WWE Championship with both men recognized as WWE Champion. The score was settled at SummerSlam with Punk declared as the Undisputed WWE Champion after scoring another huge win over Cena with Big Match John's reign lasting 20 days.
12 WWE Championship - 2009 (6th Reign)
2009 was a wild year for both the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships with the titles not having the stability they needed due to multiple title changes. Cena renewed hostilities with Randy Orton, who was arguably the best Superstar on Raw that year.
Surprisingly, Cena had not held the WWE Championship for two years, but he was hellbent on regaining the title. Cena overcame Orton in a brutal I Quit match at Breaking Point, capturing his fourth WWE Title. However, it was a pointless reign, with Orton reclaiming the title three weeks later inside Hell in a Cell.
11 World Heavyweight Championship - 2009 (5th Reign)
John Cena kickstarted his second World Heavyweight Championship reign at WrestleMania XXV. His bitter rival Edge lost the WWE Championship in the Elimination Chamber match at No Way Out 2009 and stole Kofi Kingston's spot in the World Heavyweight Championship chamber and went on to win the title.
Cena overcame Edge and Big Show to regain it, but it was another dreadful title reign on Cena's resume. The Rated-R Superstar and Cena had a final encounter at Backlash in a Last Man Standing match with Edge ending Cena's title reign on his first title defense just three weeks later.
10 WWE Championship - 2014 (15th Reign)
Daniel Bryan had his WrestleMania moment by winning the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XXX, but his neck was troublesome and he had to relinquish the strap. At Money in the Bank 2014, Cena won the vacant title in the Money in the Bank ladder match.
Cena prevailed in a star-studded field for a record-extending 12th WWE Championship victory. He retained the title at Battleground but was decimated by Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam with The Beast Incarnate taking Cena to Suplex City and the title away from him in the process.
9 World Heavyweight Championship - 2013 (14th Reign)
Big Match John had a torn bicep in 2013, but in vintage Cena form, he defied the odds by returning way earlier than expected. Cena dethroned Alberto Del Rio for his third and final World Heavyweight Championship at Hell in a Cell.
However, Cena and Orton's match a few months later at TLC was the biggest in their rivalry. The winner would unify the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships in a TLC match. Both men shone in this match but Cena came up short with Orton handing Cena a debilitating loss. During this reign, Cena bested Del Rio in a rematch and Damien Sandow when he cashed in Money in the Bank.
8 WWE Championship - 2009 (7th Reign)
Fans began to become disinterested in Orton and Cena's rivalry which dominated late 2009. However, their 60-minute Iron man Falls Count Anywhere match was exceptional with Cena culminating the feud by regaining the WWE Championship at Bragging Rights.
Cena's reign lasted 49 days with the highlight of this run coming in the form of an underrated triple threat match against Shawn Michaels and Triple H at Survivor Series. In the end, Sheamus upset Cena at TLC in a tables match for the title.
7 WWE Championship - 2011 (10th Reign)
Cena spent the early part of 2011 hunting down The Miz for the WWE Championship. Cena suffered his first one-on-one loss at WrestleMania when The Awesome One retained the title, albeit with some assistance from The Rock.
Big Match John continued to write his name in the history books as he became a record eight-time WWE Champion and a 10-time world champion overall when he ended The Miz's reign in a triple threat cage match at Extreme Rules. However, Cena had underwhelming title matches with The Miz and R-Truth in subsequent bouts before Punk ended his three-month reign in Chicago.
6 World Heavyweight Championship - 2008/09 (4th Reign)
When it is all said and done, Cena will be remembered for his reigns as WWE Champion. However, Big Match John ended a red-hot Chris Jericho's World Heavyweight Championship reign at the 2008 Survivor Series in front of his hometown fans in Boston.
Cena's first run with the Big Gold Belt was refreshing as he defeated Y2J in their rematch at Armageddon. He also retained the title against his old rival JBL at the 2009 Royal Rumble before Edge controversially won the title at No Way Out.
5 WWE Championship - 2010 (7th Reign)
Cena and Batista were engaged in a war of attrition in 2010. Big Match John quickly reclaimed the WWE Championship from Batista at WrestleMania 26 after unceremoniously losing the title to him at the Elimination Chamber when he was not ready.
The two had magnificent in-ring chemistry together which were the final few storylines in Batista's first WWE run before he decided to depart the company. Once again, Sheamus ended his reign at Fatal 4 Way in June.
4 WWE Championship - 2013 (13th Reign)
2013 saw John Cena capture his 13th world championship which proved not to be unlucky. Inevitably, Cena avenged his WrestleMania 28 loss to The Rock by taking the WWE Championship away from the Great One in an underwhelming match at WrestleMania 29 after winning the 2013 Royal Rumble match.
This reign lasted 133 days and it is the final memorable title reign of Cena's career as a full-time performer. He outlasted the likes of Ryback and Mark Henry but his match with Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam was simply sensational, which earned the PWI Match of the Year award. Bryan stunned Cena to take his title.
3 WWE Championship - 2006 (2nd Reign)
The Rated-R Superstar Edge successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on a battered and bloodied John Cena at New Year's Revolution 2006 to capture his first WWE Championship. However, Cena rebounded by regaining the title, three weeks later in their captivating rematch at the Royal Rumble.
During this title reign, Cena improved his in-ring skills drastically by retaining the title against Triple H in a sublime main event at WrestleMania 22. Cena overcame both Edge and Triple H at Backlash but Rob Van Dam's ascension was complete when he dethroned Cena at ECW One Night Stand in front of a partisan crowd.
2 WWE Championship - 2005-2006 (1st Reign)
At WrestleMania 21, John Cena became the face of the company when he ended JBL's 280-day stranglehold on the WWE Championship. Cena was drafted to Raw in June 2005 and he feuded with the very best the brand had to offer which saw Cena cement himself among the upper echelons.
John Cena's 1st year of World Championship bouts were some of the most exciting matches of his career. He retained the title over the likes of Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle and, Shawn Michaels in PPV matches. Ultimately, Cena's maiden 280-day reign as champion was thoroughly deserved before Edge ended his run at New Year's Revolution 2006.
1 WWE Championship - 2006-2007 (3rd Reign)
Cena's third WWE Championship reign started at Unforgiven 2006 when he defeated Edge in a superb TLC match. Big Match John had some of the best matches with his best rivals during this 380-day reign.
WrestleMania 23 saw Cena overcome Shawn Michaels in an exceptional match. Unfortunately, Cena suffered a bicep injury in a match with Mr. Kennedy which forced him to relinquish the title. Nobody can know for sure how long this reign would've lasted without the injury. It was the first WWE Championship reign to last over a year since Hulk Hogan in the '80s, which encapsulates how great Cena was in this time frame.