How John Cena Faced The Toughest Crowd Of His Life
John Castro Highlights
- John Cena faced hostility and disdain from the ECW crowd at One Night Stand 2006.
- Rob Van Dam pinned Cena post-Edge interference to win the WWE Championship.
- Paul Heyman praised Cena's resilience, suggesting he thrived on the negative ECW reception.
John Cena faced a pivotal challenge at ECW One Night Stand 2006 against Rob Van Dam. This clash, marked by anticipation and hostility, unfolded amidst a backdrop of unprecedented animosity from the ECW faithful. With Van Dam's Money in the Bank victory at WrestleMania 22 setting the stage, Cena found himself thrust into the lion's den of ECW, where the crowd's reception bordered on outright disdain. Toilet paper rolls flew, chants of defiance echoed, and Cena stood in a storm of hate like never before. But amidst the chaos, Edge's interference turned the tide, giving the crowd exactly what they wanted. Reflecting on this unforgettable encounter, both Cena and RVD as well as Paul Heyman offered insights into the match's significance.
John Cena Vs. Rob Van Dam Main Evented ECW One Night Stand 2006
The ECW Fans Turned On John Cena
Match | Opponents | Event | Time | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
WWE Championship Match | John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam | ECW One Night Stand 2006 | 20:45 | Rob Van Dam wins |
The lead-up to the match between John Cena and Rob Van Dam at ECW One Night Stand 2006 was intense. Rob Van Dam won the Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania 22, giving him a chance to challenge for the WWE Championship whenever he wanted. He chose to cash in his contract at ECW One Night Stand, asking Cena for a title match in advance. The crowd at ECW One Night Stand was known for being wild and passionate, and they weren't fans of John Cena. When Cena entered the arena, instead of cheers, he was met with boos and insults. Even when Cena tried to do his usual routine of throwing his shirt to the fans, they threw it back at him in a sign of disrespect. They also threw toilet paper rolls at him, showing how much they disliked him.
During the match, the crowd continued to chant against Cena, saying things like "You can't wrestle," "Same old sh*t," and even shouting "F**k you Cena." This made it a really tough environment for Cena, who wasn't used to being hated this much. The hostility of the crowd was so strong that it visibly shook Cena, making it one of the most challenging moments of his career.
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RVD Calls ECW One Night Stand 2006 One Of His Best Matches
In the match, John Cena and Rob Van Dam fought under ECW rules, meaning there were no disqualifications, and anything could happen. As the match heated up, Edge, seizing the opportunity, interfered. Since there were no rules to stop him, Edge attacked Cena, giving Van Dam the upper hand. With Cena weakened by Edge's assault, Van Dam capitalized on the opportunity, pinning Cena to win the WWE Championship.
Reflecting on the match in a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Rob Van Dam shared his perspective, acknowledging the unprecedented hostility towards Cena while expressing appreciation for the compelling narrative that unfolded. He said:
“If they asked me what my favorite match was, [I’d mention it] because first off, the match itself was in my opinion, great. I loved the match. Obviously, Cena is great. He was great with that crowd. The crowd was incredible. One of a kind crowd. I don’t think anybody could have known exactly how that crowd was gonna be first off, to put that out there. I didn’t. I knew for sure that was my home. I knew that they were with me. That was my building. But I couldn’t have predicted that they were gonna feel so much that way. They’re gonna be like ‘No! F**k your T-shirt’ and throw it back. You see me laughing when you watch that. I thought that was funny and great. What are the chances that a fan that could have a John Cena shirt, because they’re all real fans at heart, will do that? Then boom, second guy does it again, third guy wipes his ass with it. It’s like, ‘Holy crap. This is great,’ But I had no idea it was gonna be like that. John knew that he was in for a rough night, He was gonna get sh*t on a lot.”
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Paul Heyman Thinks John Cena Enjoyed The Hate From ECW Fans
Paul Heyman, the visionary behind ECW, provided insight into the electrifying encounter. In an interview with Metro, Heyman praised Cena's resilience in the face of adversity, acknowledging his ability to thrive amidst a hostile environment. Despite the overwhelming negativity directed towards Cena, Heyman recognized him as an all-time great and said that Cena probably loved the reaction. Years later, John Cena himself broke his silence on the unforgettable clash during a TikTok stream, saying:
“Now, I knew the crowd was going to be hostile, but hostile does not even describe the atmosphere in the Hammerstein Ballroom. They love Rob and they hate me. This was probably the peak of polarization that would leak into the WWE for years when you hear the name John Cena. It was either ‘he s**ks’ or ‘he’s my guy.’ There was no one in this building saying ‘he’s my guy.”
Nevertheless, Cena expressed satisfaction with the outcome, highlighting the subsequent success he and Edge enjoyed, and commended Rob Van Dam for his stellar performance in the historic encounter.
