Won: October 3, 2004
Won From: Booker T
Where: No Mercy in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Lost to: Carlito
Lost On: October 7, 2004

SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long, remembering how exciting Booker T and Chris Benoit's "best of" series was back in WCW, decided to put the United States Championship on the line in a best of five series between Booker T and John Cena. The two Superstars split the first four matches and met in the deciding match at No Mercy. Cena was able to counter a Scissors Kick into the F-U for the win and his second United States Championship.

Won On: November 18, 2004
Won From: Carlito
Where: SmackDown! in Dayton, Ohio
Lost to: Orlando Jordan
Lost On: March 3, 2005

After John Cena lost the United States Championship to Carlito on Oct. 7, 2004, he was viciously attacked at a nightclub. During the altercation, Cena suffered a puncture wound to his kidney. Although it was never proven, Carlito and his associate Jesus were both suspected to be involved in the incident. Cena shocked the world and was healthy enough to return to Survivor Series. Cena and Carlito were on opposite sides of a traditional Survivor Series elimination match, but before the match actually got underway, Cena chased Carlito and Jesus away from the arena. Cena got his shot at revenge the following week on SmackDown! He annihilated Carlito and won back the United States Championship. Jesus attacked him after the match, however, and stole Cena's chain once again. Cena retrieved his chain at Armageddon, though, when he pummeled Jesus in a Street Fight. He later began a rivalry with WWE Champion JBL after he won a No. 1 Contender's Tournament for the right to face the champ at WrestleMania 21. He defended the U.S. Championship against JBL's Chief of Staff Orlandao Jordan on the March 3 edition of SmackDown! and after some interference from the dastardly JBL, Jordan also had some gold strapped around his waist.

WWE Championship

Won On: April 3, 2005
Won From: JBL
Where: Wrestlemania XXI
Lost to: Edge
Lost On: January 8, 2006

John Cena nearly won the 2005 Royal Rumble, narrowly missing out on a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 21. However, he would rebound to defeat Orlando Jordan, Booker T, and Kurt Angle in SmackDown!'s No. 1 Contender Tournament, earning a shot at JBL as his reward. In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 21, JBL did everything he could to rattle Cena, including helping Orlando Jordan defeat Cena for the United States Championship. When WrestleMania 21 rolled around, The Doctor of Thuganomics took sweet revenge, defeating JBL with an F-U to claim his first WWE Championship.

Won On: January 29, 2006
Won From: Edge
Where: Royal Rumble
Lost to: Rob Van Dam
Lost On: June 11, 2006