Brock Lesnar vs John Cena (WWE, 9-19-2002)

WWE Smackdown, Colorado Springs, CO

The first-ever televised one-on-one match between Lesnar and Cena! Lesnar is WWE champion and dealing with a problem with Undertaker, he has armed security backstage. Heyman wants Lesnar to deal with Cena “quickly.” This is non-title.

John Cena is still just a young scrub in pink and blue wrestling tights.

Lesnar throws Cena right away, pins and gets two. Lesnar lets Cena get up clean. Cena is at a loss as to how to approach Cena. Collar-and-elbow, side headlock from Cena, switch to a hammerlock. Lesnar counters, then clubs Cena in the back of the head and rides him down with a full nelson, rubbing his head into the canvas.

Cena with a right to the body, and another, but Lesnar just fires right back and then tosses Cena with an overhead belly-to-belly. Stomps to the ribs from Lesnar. Clubbing forearm to the back. Another shot to the back. Lesnar in full control, just smoking this young idiot.

Elbow to the ribs. Lesnar toying with Cena as Paul Heyman watches the entrance for  Undertaker. Lesnar lifts Cena, holds him up, and drops him with a vertical suplex. Two count. Lesnar with a gutwrench bearhug, the second-worst move in wrestling, I bet. Cena reaching for the ropes, Lesnar rolls him back and gets two. Cena reaching for the ropes again, showing lots of perseverance. He finally gets the bottom rope and breaks the hold, but Lesnar just goes right back to it.

Cena trying to elbow out of the hold, and he finally manages it, but Lesnar just hits him with a back suplex. Heyman wants Lesnar to put this away. Stomachbreaker from Lesnar, and another. More stomps in the corner.

Cena with a kick up from the corner and a jawbreaker. Cena with forearms, then a standing dropkick. Lesnar gets pissed and drives Cena into the corner, sends him off the ropes, Cena sloppily goes for a crucifix, but nah, F5, goodnight, rookie.

Rating: 2.5/5. Done well enough but nothing memorable about it or anything. So it’s a six minute Smackdown semi-squash. That’s the start of the Lesnar-Cena story, John Cena as a body for Lesnar to smash while we wait to see if Undertaker comes out.