Name: John CenaBackground: Considered to be the face of World Wrestling Entertainment, the crowd polarizing John Cena shocked the world when he appeared on UWA TV in September 2006, making an immediate impact by defeating Downcast to win the Universal Championship. Cena's acquisition, though a coup in the battle against the struggling WWE, struck a nerve with many UWA loyalists who saw Cena as the epitome of Vince McMahon's vision of sports entertainment. This loyalist sentiment characterized the Cena/Lightning battle at Apocalypse Now--one of the most anticipated bouts in company history--which saw Cena cleanly defeat the man commonly described as the conscience of the UWA for the victory.
Cena became embroiled in a heated rivalry with Enygma and Black Blood after Enygma--with an assist from Black Kat's "Black Kiss"--defeated Cena for the Universal Title at Total Annihilation 2007. For months the two battle fiercely over the title, with Enygma always managing to stay one step ahead. The rivalry hit a new level at Showtime 2007 when Cena agreed to put his career on the line against the Black Blood Centerpiece. Having already retired Steve Corino and crippled Francine's Enterprise, Enygma salavated at the thought of adding one more trophy to his already impressive showcase. Yet it was the Enygmatic One who came out on the losing end when he found himself trapped in Cena's dreaded STFU submission. Engyma tried desperately to escape, but with the ropes just out of his reach, there was little he could do. On that night, Cena regained the Universal Title when Enygma tapped out.
Or did he? Controversy surrounded the Showtime encounter, with many feeling that referee Denny Kudrow prematurely called for the bell as Enygma was reaching for the ropes. Engyma adamantly stressed that he never submitted, while Cena, when questioned about the matter, was uncharacteristicly evasive. A submission match was signed between the two competitors, and the stage was set for one of the most shocking moments in wrestling history.
Denny Kudrow was again the third man in the ring for the memorable encounter at Maximum Carnage 2007, a seesaw battle which saw Enygma gain the upper hand. Trapped in Enygma's Magnum Force submission, Cena seemed only moments away from coughing up the title when suddenly, someone yanked Kudrow out of the ring. The identity of the intruder: Vincent Kennedy McMahon. The presence of the WWE's chairman at ringside sent shockwaves throughout the wrestling world, and proved to be more than enough of a distraction for Enygma. Cena capitalized by locking Enygma in the Sharpshooter. Kudrow called for the bell. McMahon, Kudrow, and Cena escaped with the UWA's top prize.
The details of McMahon's plan were revealed on July 1, 2007, when he appeared with the Universal Title on WWE's Sunday Night Heat broadcast. Cena had been sent to the UWA to sabotage it from within. And with less than two months remaining on Cena's UWA contract, McMahon had planned to give Cena a triumphant homecoming at WWE's Raw Ressurection. And as McMahon continues to count down the days on Cena's contract, the top UWA superstars -- most notably a determined Lightning -- have banded together to try and get the belt from around Cena's waist. Will they be successful? Will McMahon's plan succeed?
