WWE Champ John Cena Looks Back On 'Gnarly' One Night Stand Match With RVD

Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena is heading toward the latter half of his retirement tour and despite being a heel on-screen, he's still doing media rounds, meeting fans, and appearing at conventions. He's also been looking back at some of his greatest matches, which he did during a panel at the recent Philadelphia Fan Expo. Cena even told a story fans had never heard before when asked about his iconic ECW One Night Stand match for the WWE Championship against Rob Van Dam in 2006. 

"The event started at 7 o'clock and we weren't on until last," Cena explained. "At about 7 o'clock, [the fans were] so audibly were chanting 'F you, Cena,' so I knew by the time we went out at 10 o'clock, it was going to be pretty gnarly. So, we get out there and... I look at the sign and I heard the crowd, and I would never do this again and it was the most stupid decision of my life, I told Rob, 'Hey. Let's go out into the audience.' And I just wanted to see like, what would happen. Thank you everyone in the Hammerstein Ballroom that night for being professional and being great fans... Because I thought I was going to get my a** kicked."

The ECW crowd didn't have to riot that night, as RVD walked away with the championship. Cena noted in his panel discussion that fans brought in the original, now iconic, "If Cena Wins We Riot" sign for him to autograph at the convention. RVD has previously said that winning the title at the event made him feel like he was "on top of the world."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Philadelphia Fan Expo and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.