Why John Cena Embraced Winning Secondary Titles In WWE
John Cena is one of the most decorated champions in WWE history, and it’s not just because of World Titles.
In the main event of WrestleMania 41 Sunday, John Cena became a 17-time WWE World Champion when he beat Cody Rhodes to win the gold. While the match isn’t highly regarded in terms of how good it was, it was a history-making win for Cena.
The first title that Cena won in WWE was the US Title at WrestleMania 20 in 2004, and a year later, he won his first WWE Title at WrestleMania 21 in 2005.
By the time his career ended in December 2025, Cena was a 17-time World Champion in WWE, a 5-time US Champion, a 4-time Tag Team Champion, and the last time he won (and lost) was the Intercontinental Title, which he only held once.
During his appearance on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, John Cena explained his mindset about making the most of opportunities in WWE.
“That is what I loved about the meritocracy of the WWE. Good work gets you another chance. Yes, there is only one main event spot on WrestleMania. Now there’s two, but another chance is another chance. Yeah.
That’s why I don’t care if I’m first, last, in the middle. In the year of retirement, very few times was I closing the show. I was all over the place. You know what I’m saying? And it doesn’t matter because (it’s) just an opportunity to do good work.
If you’re the marquee of a movie and you do good work, it might get you an opportunity to be ninth on the depth chart. But it’s another opportunity to do good work. It’s just a matter of if you’re going to build the obstacles in front of yourself to take it or not.”
John Cena Knows Other Top Names In WWE Didn’t Go After Secondary Titles Like Him
As he continued, John Cena spoke about how other major names in WWE history, like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock, didn’t pursue secondary titles after they were main-event guys like Cena. However, Cena made the point that he would always do his best no matter what title he held.
“You know, so many of the wrestling performers, they’ll touch the sun, so to speak. And then when I had the US Open challenge, when I won the Intercontinental title, it’s a joke. And I know these people personally, hopefully they’ll take the joke, I would look and be like, ‘Yeah, just like Austin would have done.’
Steve Austin has not taken the United States title after he takes the world title because in his personality and what keeps him sharp and driven and motivated is that’s a demotion and I understand that and I respect that.
And by the way, one of the greatest to do it, one of the top three. Yeah, I think that DJ (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) would be the same way. I’m not going in this direction. We do this stuff. This is top level stuff and I respect that, too.
I don’t have their talent, strengths, and gifts. So, give me anything, right? Give me a paper belt. I’ll try to make it work. You know what I’m saying? So, it’s like, what op what are you chasing?”
Regarding the future of his former opponent and good friend, AJ Styles, John Cena thinks the former WWE Champion has retired for good, even though some people seem to doubt that.