Pro Wrestler John Cena's Rise to Fame

John Cena, the current World Wrestling Entertainment Champion, wasn't always the tough, hard hitting man that he is today. When he first started out in the business, he was some kid that nobody knew.

After his debut in 2003, he started using a rapper gimmick and dissed all of his opponents before his matches. His first title match came at Backlash 2003, where he faced Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship, though he didn't win the match or the title. One year later, at Wrestlemania XX, Cena went one on one with Big Show for the United States Championship,the match that earned him the status of rising star and where he adopted the moniker of "The Champ."

Just one year after winning the United States Championship, John Cena would win his first WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 21, defeating John "Bradshaw" Layfield. Cena would go on to defend his title for several months, before losing it to Edge at New Year's Revolution 2006. One month later, at the Royal Rumble, Cena faced Edge in a rematch and won back the title. At Wrestlemania 22, he defended the title against Triple H, forcing him to tap out to the STFU. Following Mania, Rob Van Dam, who won the Money in the Bank ladder match, announced that he would be challenging Cena for the title at ECW One Night Stand. Thanks to a little outside interference from Edge, Rob Van Dam won the match and the title.

Van Dam was then placed in a Triple Threat Match for the title, a match that would be won by Edge, kicking off his second title reign. Finally, at Unforgiven 2006, Cena faced Edge in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match, where he FU'd Edge through two tables before winning the match. He would then face Edge in a Steel Cage Match on Raw the night after winning the title back. Thanks to a well-timed Superkick by Shawn Michaels, Cena was able to hold onto his title. Shortly after that, Cena started feuding with Umaga, the self-proclaimed Samoan Bulldozer. At New Year's Revolution 2007, Cena defeated Umaga in a controversial manner, rolling him up for a pin and retaining the title. At the 2007 Royal Rumble, Cena faced Umaga in a Last Man Standing Match, where he choked out Umaga with the top rope of the ring, despite losing mass quantities of blood earlier in the match.

One month later, at Wrestlemania 23, Cena faced Shawn Michaels, the partner and best friend of his previous Mania opponent, Triple H. Cena forced Michaels to tap out to the same hold he put on Triple H, the STFU. After defeating Michaels, Cena faced Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels and Edge in a Fatal Four Way Match. The match ended when an ill-timed Sweet Chin Music by Shawn Michaels caused Cena to land on top of Orton, resulting in the pin fall and victory of Cena, meaning he retained the title yet again. After this match, Cena started feuding with the Punjabi giant, the Great Khali. In their first match at Judgment Day, Cena made Khali tap out to the STFU, a feat many said Cena couldn't do. At the upcoming pay-per-view, Cena will be facing Khali in a Falls Count Anywhere Match for the title.

Knowing Cena, he will pull out all the stops to keep the title that he has worked so hard to win. While he hasn't been in the business for more than three years, he is learning more as his career progresses and he is definitely getting better. It's obvious that his hard work has paid off and that he will be in the Hall of Fame some day.