John Cena’s biggest triumphs over injury
April 30, 2013
WWE Champion John Cena was injured on WWE’s recent tour of Europe. Despite being hurt, the Cenation leader still went to war alongside Team Hell No against The Shield on Raw. Although he came up short in the Six-Man Tag Match, The Champ displayed the guts and the determination that make him stand out as one of WWE’s elite.
Using history as a guide, it’s a good bet the WWE Champion will not let his current injury keep him down. Take a look back at past examples when Cena overcame various injuries and prevailed.
1. Torn pectoral muscle (2007)
On the Oct. 1, 2007, episode of Raw, WWE Champion John Cena suffered a complete tear of his right pectoral muscle. The severity of the injury required surgery the very next day. With Cena expected to be out of commission for up to a year, he was forced to vacate his title by Mr. McMahon. The title would then change hands between Randy Orton and Triple H, with Orton ushering in 2008 as reigning WWE Champion.
Cena's comeback
At the 21st annual Royal Rumble, 30 Superstars vied for the coveted opportunity to win a WrestleMania match. But it was Cena who punched his ticket to The Grandest Stage of Them All when he shocked the world as the final surprise participant in the Royal Rumble Match and eliminated Triple H for the win.
2. Herniated disc (2008)
After being hit with a Batista Bomb at SummerSlam 2008, Cena suffered a herniated disc in his neck which required vertebrae fusion surgery. “It needs to be dealt with because I lost most of the feeling in my right arm and am having pain in my shoulder,” Cena said at the time. “I’m losing 20 percent of my strength per day. If I don’t do anything about it, the injury will end up rupturing and then the surgery will be more difficult.”
The surgery put Cena out of action for an indefinite period of time.
Cena's comeback
After months spent recovering, Cena’s return to the ring was a triumphant one, as he defeated Chris Jericho at Survivor Series 2008 to win his first-ever World Heavyweight Championship.
3. Arm injury (2012)
In September 2012, Cena had surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow. Unable to compete, the Cenation leader passed the torch to the up-and-coming Ryback to face WWE Champion CM Punk at Hell in a Cell.
Cena's comeback
The arm injury did not keep Cena down and it wasn’t long before he was back in the hunt for the WWE Title at Survivor Series. Although he failed to capture the title against Punk at the fall classic, he would not give up. With victories at Royal Rumble 2013 and WrestleMania 29, against The Rock, Cena would finally reclaim the coveted WWE Championship to begin his record 11th reign.
4. Achilles injury (April 2013)
Hot off the heels of WrestleMania 29, WWE headed to Europe to entertain the WWE Universe. While battling Ryback, the WWE Champion injured his right Achilles tendon. ( FULL STORY)
Despite being hurt, the WWE Champion was eager to face The Shield on Raw … even though he was scheduled to team with his new nemesis, Ryback. But when Ryback bailed on his partner, Cena found new allies in Team Hell No. Fighting through the pain, the Cenation leader helped the WWE Tag Team Champions go to war with the black-clad renegades. Despite his best efforts, The hobbled Champ was ultimately speared and pinned by Roman Reigns.
What's next for Cena?
As the Cenation leader continues to battle through his current injury, when will we learn more about his condition? Hopefully the WWE Universe will find out more this Monday on Raw. Tune in at 8/7 CT on USA Network.
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