John Cena stands alone in sports entertainment history with 17 world titles following his victory over Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
With his monumental victory over Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, John Cena now stands alone with 17 world championship reigns, breaking Ric Flair’s long-held record.
Here's a full recap of each of Cena’s historic world title wins:
1. WWE Championship – WrestleMania 21 (2005)
Defeated JBL to win his first world title. Cena earned the shot by winning a No. 1 contender’s tournament, capping it off with a win over Kurt Angle at No Way Out.
2. WWE Championship – Royal Rumble 2006
Avenged his shocking Money in the Bank loss by regaining the title from Edge, who had cashed in on Cena a month earlier.
3. WWE Championship – Unforgiven 2006
Beat Edge in a brutal TLC match in Edge’s hometown. This began Cena’s 380-day reign, the longest WWE Championship run in 25 years at the time.
4. World Heavyweight Championship – Survivor Series 2008
In the year where he returned from a pectoral injury, Cena dethroned Chris Jericho to mark his first run with the “Big Gold” belt.
5. World Heavyweight Championship – WrestleMania 25 (2009)
Defeated Edge and Big Show in a Triple Threat match on the grand stage.
6. WWE Championship – Breaking Point 2009
Forced Randy Orton to say “I Quit” in one of their many classic battles in 2009.
7. WWE Championship – Bragging Rights 2009
Outlasted Orton again, this time in an Iron Man Match, solidifying his dominance.
8. WWE Championship – Elimination Chamber 2010
Survived five other stars in a Chamber match, but immediately lost the title to Batista in a post-match ambush ordered by Mr. McMahon. This was Cena’s shortest reign lasting just 3 minutes and 33 seconds.
9. WWE Championship – WrestleMania 26 (2010)
Cena got his revenge by making Batista tap out on the big stage.
10. WWE Championship – Extreme Rules 2011
Defeated The Miz and John Morrison in a Steel Cage to reclaim gold.
11. WWE Championship – RAW (July 25, 2011)
Beat Rey Mysterio the same night Rey won the vacant title after CM Punk left the WWE as champion. Cena’s win set up a champion vs. champion clash with CM Punk.
12. WWE Championship – Night of Champions 2011
Took the title from Alberto Del Rio, reclaiming his spot atop WWE.
13. WWE Championship – WrestleMania 29 (2013)
Defeated The Rock in a redemption match after losing to him the year before.
14. World Heavyweight Championship – Hell in a Cell 2013
Beat Del Rio once again. This reign would be the final standalone run with the “Big Gold” belt before it was unified with the WWE Championship.
15. WWE World Heavyweight Championship – Money in the Bank 2014
Won a grueling ladder match featuring Orton, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, Sheamus, Cesaro, Del Rio, and Kane.
16. WWE Championship – Royal Rumble 2017
Defeated AJ Styles in a classic to tie Ric Flair’s record of 16 world championships.
17. Undisputed WWE Championship – WrestleMania 41 (2025)
Made history by defeating Cody Rhodes in a generational clash, becoming the first-ever 17-time world champion in WWE history.
From his first win in 2005 to his record-setting triumph in 2025, John Cena’s championship legacy is a testament to his enduring greatness, resilience, and star power across two decades.
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[Editor's note: This article was generated by a member of the One Sports Digital team using AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]