7 Examples of John Cena Legitimately Putting Over Other Wrestlers

4. Rusev

Rusev was one of the biggest heels in the company, so it was only a matter of time before he went head to head with one of the biggest faces. At the time, Cena was after the United States title and Rusev was the Bulgarian Brute who hated America, yet he was it’s champion. Cena set to right that wrong.

At Fastlane, Rusev not only beat John Cena, but he earned the first submission victory over Cena in more than a decade. Cena put over Lana’s heel antics, The Accolade, and Rusev all in one match. The argument against Cena putting him over was Cena beat him twice after that at Wrestlemania and Extreme Rules and that Rusev hasn’t been the same since.

The fact is Rusev’s character at that time had a limited shelf life. Not only that, but he was an unbeatable super athlete that had never been pinned, or submitted. It didn’t matter who beat him because his stock was going to fall after that first loss no matter what. Cena brought Rusev legitimacy as a main event talent, but it’s the booking to blame for Rusev’s fall from grace, not Cena.