John Cena Achieves WWE Grand Slam with Intercontinental Championship Victory
In a career already filled with accolades and achievements, John Cena has added yet another milestone to his legendary WWE resume. On Monday’s episode of RAW in Boston, just miles from his hometown of West Newbury, Massachusetts, Cena defeated Dominik Mysterio in an impromptu match to capture the Intercontinental Championship. The victory wasn’t just another title win for Cena—it completed his journey to becoming a Grand Slam champion in WWE, having now held every major championship the company offers. The moment felt especially significant given Cena’s announcement earlier this year about his upcoming retirement from in-ring competition, making each remaining match and achievement part of his farewell tour.
The match itself showcased both competitors’ abilities, with the younger Mysterio—son of wrestling legend Rey Mysterio—controlling much of the action. Dominik employed his trademark underhanded tactics throughout the contest, trying to use his father’s signature moves against Cena. In a dramatic sequence, Dominik attempted to finish Cena with the iconic 619 maneuver followed by a frog splash, but the veteran competitor showed his experience and resilience by countering at the critical moment. Cena hoisted Mysterio up for his finishing move, the Attitude Adjustment, before securing the pinfall victory to the delight of his hometown crowd. As pyrotechnics exploded overhead, an emotional Cena addressed the TD Garden audience, saying, “Thank you so much Boston, because of you, tonight, the champ is here”—a callback to his famous catchphrase that has defined much of his two-decade career.
This Intercontinental Championship victory holds special significance in Cena’s already illustrious career. While most fans associate Cena with his record-tying 17 world championship reigns (which he achieved earlier this year at WrestleMania 41 by defeating Cody Rhodes before losing the title at SummerSlam), his journey through WWE’s championship hierarchy has been remarkably comprehensive. Before Monday’s victory, Cena had already established himself as a five-time United States Champion and four-time Tag Team Champion, partnering with diverse teammates including The Miz, David Otunga, Batista, and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels. The Intercontinental title was the final piece missing from Cena’s championship collection, and acquiring it cements his status as one of the most accomplished performers in WWE history.
The modern WWE Grand Slam distinction requires a superstar to have held the WWE Championship (or equivalent world title), the Intercontinental Championship, the United States Championship, and a Tag Team Championship during their career. Cena joins an elite group of performers who have achieved this feat, with Kevin Owens and Finn Bálor being the most recent additions back in 2013 until Cena’s victory on Monday. For a performer who has broken nearly every record and reached nearly every milestone possible in WWE, this achievement represents one of the few remaining honors Cena had yet to claim. The celebration backstage, where fellow WWE superstars congratulated the new champion, highlighted the respect Cena commands among his peers and the significance of this accomplishment even for someone with his decorated history.
As Cena’s full-time wrestling career approaches its conclusion, this championship victory adds another chapter to his remarkable legacy. Following the match, WWE immediately began setting up what could be the final championship defense of Cena’s career through the “Last Time is Now Tournament,” which kicked off later in the same episode of RAW. The tournament will determine who will face Cena in what could be his final WWE match—a fitting way to potentially end a career that has defined WWE for nearly two decades. For fans who grew up watching Cena’s rise from his “Doctor of Thuganomics” persona to becoming the face of WWE during its PG era, these final moments and achievements carry tremendous emotional weight.
Throughout his career, Cena has transcended the world of professional wrestling to become a mainstream entertainment figure, starring in Hollywood films, granting hundreds of Make-A-Wish requests, and representing WWE as its most recognizable ambassador. His journey from a relatively unknown performer who debuted against Kurt Angle in 2002 to becoming a 17-time world champion and now a Grand Slam champion reflects both his personal dedication and WWE’s investment in him as their franchise player for many years. As Cena takes his victory lap in WWE before transitioning to the next phase of his career, moments like Monday’s championship win serve as reminders of why he’s considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. For the fans in Boston and millions watching worldwide, seeing “the champ” hold gold one more time provided a nostalgic and fitting tribute to a performer whose catchphrase “You Can’t See Me” ironically made him impossible to ignore in the landscape of sports entertainment.
