The start of the WWE Netflix era also kicks off the John Cena retirement tour. The Doctor of Thuganomics declared that 2025 would be his final stint in the company he carried on his back for many years.
As a 16-time World Champion, you would expect Cena to have captured all the 'workhorse' titles on his rise to the top and between reigns. However, while 'Big Match' John has won many accolades during his career, one title has remained elusive to this day.
Cena captured the WWE US Championship three times during his tenure on SmackDown, so which title has John Cena never won?
Which Title Has John Cena Never Won?
John Cena has never won the Intercontinental Championship in WWE. While this is one of those "hold on a minute" moments that will send you to Google to see if I'm wrong, it's true. It's damn true.
Now that you are back, I will continue. Despite a legendary feud with JBL over the US title, culminating in the birth of the infamous 'spinner' belts in WWE, Cena never won the other mid-card title during his prime.
In 2006, as WWE Champion, Cena teamed up with Intercontinental Champion RVD to defend their titles in a handicap match on an episode of Raw.
Cena's next three Intercontinental Championship matches were untelevised, featuring a clash with Bad News Barrett in 2015 and two encounters with Roman Reigns in December 2017.
It is crazy to believe that John has seemingly won everything, but up till now, that is the one title to escape his grasp.
John Cena World Titles
Being a 16-time champion in WWE is a claim that only John Cena and The Nature Boy Ric Flair can make. In their prime, both men ran through the roster, capturing belts and making a name for themselves as the face of the company.
While Cena's run kicked off during the Ruthless Aggression Era, he matched Flair's impressive record at the 2017 Royal Rumble. While his win against AJ Styles gave him the prestigious record, the title run only lasted 14 days!
Below are all 16 of John Cena's world title wins:
- 1. WWE Championship
Won at WrestleMania 21 after defeating JBL
- 2. WWE Championship
Won at Royal Rumble 2006 after defeating Edge
- 3. WWE Championship
Won at Unforgiven 2006 after defeating Edge
- 4. World Heavyweight Championship
Won at Survivor Series 2008 after defeating Chris Jericho
- 5. World Heavyweight Championship
Won at WrestleMania 25 after defeating Big Show and Edge
- 6. WWE Championship
Won at Breaking Point 2009 after defeating Randy Orton
- 7. WWE Championship
Won at Bragging Rights 2009 after defeating Randy Orton
- 8. WWE Championship
Won at Elimination Chamber 2010 after defeating Sheamus (also in the match Randy Orton, Triple H, Kofi Kingston, and Ted DiBiase Jr.)
- 9. WWE Championship
Won at WrestleMania 26 after defeating Batista
- 10. WWE Championship
Won at Extreme Rules 2011 after defeating The Miz and John Morrison
- 11. WWE Championship
Won at RAW on July 25, 2011, after defeating Rey Mysterio
- 12. WWE Championship
Won at Night of Champions 2011 after defeating Alberto Del Rio
- 13. WWE Championship
Won at WrestleMania 29 after defeating The Rock
- 14. World Heavyweight Championship
Won at Hell in a Cell 2013 after defeating Alberto Del Rio
- 15. WWE Championship
Won at Money in the Bank 2014 after defeating Randy Orton, Alberto Del Rio, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Sheamus, and Kane.
- 16. WWE Championship
Won at Royal Rumble 2017 after defeating AJ Styles
John Cena Accolades
Super Cena has done it all and won it all (almost). With an incredible collection of championships, few in WWE history can match the titles he has won throughout his career.
In WWE (to date), Cena has held the following:
- WWE Championship
- World Heavyweight Championship
- WWE United States Championship
- WWE Tag Team Championship
- World Tag Team Championship
To think the megastar has won all of these but is yet to be crowned as a Grand Slam Champion due to never winning the Intercontinental Championship is a travesty; surely a win is on the cards for the mid-card belt he never won.
Only time will tell my friends, and the last time is now.