WrestleMania 22 - April 2, 2006 (Rosemont, Illinois)

WWE Champion John Cena vs. United States Champion Kurt Angle (RAW)

At the RAW Homecoming on July 18, 2005 at the new Yankee Stadium (which was also the brand's first broadcast on the USA Network since December 1999), John Cena defeated his best friend Triple H in the main event for the WWE Championship, with Hulk Hogan as special guest referee. Triple H had won the title at WrestleMania 21 in the Fatal-Four-Way main event involving Cena, Edge, and then-champion Big Show. After five years spent trying to reach the elusive mountaintop, this was Triple H's first-ever WWE Championship reign (he was a multi-time World Heavyweight and ECW Champion as well, but he had never won the WWE Championship until WrestleMania 21). After retaining the title at SummerSlam against The Game in a No-Holds-Barred Match, Cena went on to hold the WWE Championship through the end of 2005. This was actually his seventh reign as champion (previous reigns started on an episode of RAW in September 1996, Judgment Day 1998, Royal Rumble 1999, Royal Rumble 2000, WrestleMania X8, and No Mercy 2003). On the last RAW of 2005, Jim Ross summed it up best with this statement: "You talk about great wrestlers, you talk about great champions. But there are only certain wrestlers that can be defined as great WWE Champions. John Cena is one of those wrestlers."

At New Year's Revolution, in the main event, Cena started off 2006 by defending the richest prize in sports-entertainment against Chris Jericho (every PPV was tri-branded). Jericho had been in the business for a couple years, having won both the United States and Intercontinental Championship. He had established himself as a great heel character on the NXT brand, having competed there from October 2001-May 2003. In early 2004, Y2J moved back to NXT and had the greatest stint of his career. He was now seen as a main-event player and one of the best heels in the WWE. His shining moment was at No Mercy 2004, when he was awarded the first-ever NXT Championship (winning his first world championship in the process). Jericho was champion until WrestleMania 21, when he was beaten in a Scramble Match by Batista (Rey Mysterio, Ted DiBiase, and Cody Rhodes were all involved as well, bringing together the brand's biggest stars). Y2J promised to take away the WWE Championship by making Cena tap out to the Walls of Jericho. At several points, it looked like that would be the case. Near the end, when Jericho looked ready to finish the job, Cena reversed the Walls into the STF, and Y2J was trapped for the second time in the match. With no other options, Jericho tapped out in the middle of the ring and Cena had preserved his title reign in Albany.

Out of nowhere, United States Champion Kurt Angle came down and blindsided the WWE Champion with a clothesline. It led to a brutal assault, and finished with an Angle Slam on the RAW announce table. The 11,000 in attendance at the Pepsi Center went nuts. Although Angle had been a face since he beat "Rowdy" Roddy Piper for the U.S. title at No Mercy a few months back (the match, and the pay-per-view as a whole, received universal acclaim and five stars from Dave Meltzer), he had already started to get stale. Plus, this was a part of the company's new faith in Angle. In the main event of SummerSlam in 2001, Angle established himself as a new top star when he beat The Undertaker for the WWE Championship. However, he was forced to relinquish the title that December due to needing neck surgery. The self-proclaimed "Greatest Wrestler in the World" was never the same when he came back, but 2005 was seen as a resurrection for his career. The next night on RAW inside Madison Square Garden, Angle cemented his heel turn by stating that Cena shouldn't take him lightly because he has never faced anyone as dangerous or as motivated as him. Angle also declared he would win the 30-man Royal Rumble Match later that month and challenge the WWE Champion at WrestleMania 22, whoever it ends up being. Although New York City is traditionally full of hardcore fans, Angle played the heel role so well he was getting the heat WWE knew he would be capable of getting. He warned Cena that this wouldn't be an isolated incident. Interestingly enough, although the number-one contender for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble was determined (Shane McMahon), the champion was absent that night.

It was played up in commentary leading up to the Rumble that Cena was on high alert now due to Angle's warning. However, on January 29 in Miami during an interview, the West Newbury native made it clear that Angle didn't intimidate him and he saw his threats as garbage. Since New Year's Revolution, the two hadn't crossed paths at all, except for RAW six days ago where Angle was heading to the ring for his match, and Cena stared him down while holding up the WWE Championship. Cena's match with McMahon was fast-paced and full of the WWE Champion trying new things to keep up with McMahon's technical moveset. Shane-O-Mac hit Cena with the Million Dollar Bill (rolling snap neckbreaker) and connected with the Leap of Faith, but that only got a two-count. The American Airlines Arena went nuts, believing Cena had lost the title. Replays showed that RAW Senior Referee Mike Chioda counted three after the WWE Champion had already kicked out. McMahon went for the Million Dollar Bill again, but Cena turned it into an Attitude Adjustment. Cena hit a second AA, and then locked in the STF. Chioda ruled that McMahon had passed out, and the WWE Championship was retained on a knockout victory. As the West Newbury native celebrated, Angle came down for another attack. This time, the WWE Champion was ready and at one point, even had the United States Champion on his shoulders for an Attitude Adjustment. But Angle raked Cena's eyes and hit him with three German suplexes. Angle threw the WWE Champion out of the ring, and hit him with an Angle Slam on the floor. But the Pittsburgh native had more brutal intentions and attempted to Angle Slam Cena on the steel steps. As JR and Jerry "The King" Lawler yelled at the Olympic gold medalist not to do it, "I Walk Alone" by Saliva played as Cena's half-brother Batista came to the rescue. Angle immediately hightailed it and road agents were called down to aid the WWE Champion.

Later that night, during the Rumble Match, Angle entered at #13 and within five minutes, had already eliminated four guys, including his old T.N.A. groupmate Scott Steiner (more on that later). Batista entered at #19 and immediately went after the United States Champion. However, there was no revenge for Cena until "My Time Is Now" started playing. Angle got distracted and frustrated when Cena wasn't coming out, which allowed The Animal to hurl him over the top rope. The WWE Champion arrived through the crowd and started assaulting Angle, which was all part of the plan. The United States Champion tried to escape through the Miami faithful, but Cena was on the hunt and continued the assault backstage. The two were never seen again, and the Rumble was eventually won by the #8 entrant A.J. Styles. The next night, the WWE Champion said that he doesn't intend on backing down to Angle, and he'll have to kill him in the middle of the ring if he wants the title for himself. That's when Jonathan Coachman announced that at No Way Out, Cena will defend the WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber, with the challengers being Triple H, Randy Orton, Edge, Chris Jericho, and Angle himself. The winner goes to WrestleMania 22 with the richest prize in sports-entertainment. In the end, Cena got rid of Angle when they were in the final three, pinning him after an Attitude Adjustment. After last eliminating Edge to win the Chamber, No Way Out ended with the United States Champion having launched another brutal post-match assault. Cena was screaming in pain as Angle strapped in the Ankle Lock on the steel floor, before the Chamber even had the chance to rise up.

The night after, Angle arrived in a suit and tie and the United States Championship on his shoulders, kicking off RAW's second hour. The Greatest Wrestler in the World said he proved in Baltimore 24 hours ago why Cena should be afraid of him, and that his days with the WWE Championship are numbered. That's when the seven-time world champion arrived, enraged. He told Angle that the Road to WrestleMania has officially kicked into high gear, and it's Decision Day. And on Decision Day, it's time to stop talking and get to some business. "Kurt, the sneak attacks are over. The warnings are over, the macho talk is over. You're an Olympic gold medalist, you're a former WWE Champion, you're the current United States Champion. And as a champion, you're called on to be a classy representative of this company. You probably don't even know what class means because these past couple of weeks, you've had no class, Jack. You don't need to go about your business like this. You come here man-to-man like I'm doing and tell me what you plan to do. These people are tired of the building tension. They don't want us to go through the same damn dog and pony act anymore. Don't you get it? They want...a...MATCH!" Cena proposed a blockbuster main event at WrestleMania: The WWE Championship is on the line, along with the United States Championship. Winner takes all, loser takes their ball. In front of 10,000-plus in the shadows of Chicago. Angle accepted, and the match was on. But before Cena left, he couldn't finish his night without an Attitude Adjustment.

The world was buzzing with anticipation about the Cena/Angle match. Ring Posts' Kevin Eck, who attended No Way Out in his hometown of Baltimore, said: "This match is going to be the absolute definition of Kurt Angle's career. It could honestly go either way, but Angle has to come out of WrestleMania a star. It's been five years since he won his first (and only) world championship at SumnerSlam. When is his spot in the main event going to be solidified? April 2, that's when." WrestlingFigs, the world's largest wrestling forum, said that the United States Champion has to win and not be fed to Cena. It was played up in commentary that not only is it WrestleMania, but it's essentially WrestleMania in Chicago. It will create one of the most hostile environments Cena has ever been in (Interestingly enough, when Cena retained the WWE Championship against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 13 in Rosemont nine years ago, the crowd was all for him). Things have definitely changed since 1997, and the WWE Champion has been at the forefront of all that change. The winner-take-all championship match was the most promoted and anticipated, as many wrestling pundits and fans had wanted Cena and Angle to lock up for months now. In a subplot as a result of the feud, the United States Champion's friend Rey Mysterio got involved on several occasions. During Cena's non-title match with Sheamus on RAW, Mysterio blasted him with a steel chair. After The Celtic Warrior left with a disqualification loss, Angle came down and finished the job with the Ankle Lock. Batista had already gone home for the night. Next week, however, was a different story.

The Animal got involved with his best friend as his brother and his brother's rival waged their own war. More on that later. With two weeks left until The Grandest Stage of Them All, it was time for a three-hour edition of RAW entitled WrestleMania Rewind. Superstars from all three brands competed in rematches from previous WrestleManias. Angle was up against Rob Van Dam, in a rematch of their classic from WrestleMania X-Seven. Not much had changed, as both Angle and RVD were still heel and face, respectively. But that match in 2001 was instrumental in the U.S. Champion's gradual face turn, as he received a standing ovation from the 60,000-plus in attendance inside Houston's Astrodome (he just barely won that match, as he caught Van Dam in mid-air and turned his Five-Star Frog Splash into an Angle Slam). It was more or less deja vu as RVD once again had it cold. He blasted Angle with the Van Daminator, and went up top for the Five-Star when The Sandman whacked him in the skull with his trusty Singapore cane, causing him to fall off the top turnbuckle. The two ECW Superstars will be in a very personal Extreme Rules Match at WrestleMania. Angle lost by disqualification and as Sandman left, attempted to take out his rage with a steel chair, which he smashed Van Dam's ankle with three times and attempted to break it with the Ankle Lock. RVD's ankle was caught in the chair at the same time. Cena rushed to stop it, and the United States Champion escaped. Coachman announced that the winner take all match at WrestleMania would now be decided by pinfall or submission only. The tension between these two champions could no longer be contained in a regular one-on-one.

In a rematch of WrestleMania XIX (the theme was WWE vs. NXT, and the pay-per-view cemented NXT's place as a legitimate show), Cena teamed up with Triple H as a rare treat. D-Generation-X was up against Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes, The Legacy. It was a completely different setting. The original contest was for the WWE Tag Team Championship at Safeco Field in Seattle, but the bad blood was still there. Neither team missed a step, as there was fast-paced action throughout. Although DiBiase and Rhodes walked away the new WWE Tag Team Champions in 2003, the night belonged to DX this time. Cena took out Rhodes with an Attitude Adjustment through the announce table, and Triple H had DiBiase finished with the Pedigree. The King of Kings tagged in the WWE Champion, who made the Million Dollar Man's son tap out to the STF. DX couldn't even celebrate as Angle came down to the ring. Triple H let his best friend handle it because he was ready. Cena got the advantage rather easily, but when Mysterio came with a steel chair, it was now a 2-on-1. The WWE Champion had the size advantage, but Mysterio had black steel as an equalizer and made sure Cena knew that. Batista came down and went after his best friend, as the two were brawling for the first time in preparation for their WrestleMania match. Cena was brawling with Angle as RAW ended there.

Six days left to go before Chicago, so the most high-profile match around was made: Brothers vs. Buddies. Cena and Batista vs. Angle and Mysterio. This would only be the second time on the Road to WrestleMania that the WWE and United States Champion would compete in the same match. The Indianapolis crowd was ready for a great tag-team match. Cena got the early advantage on Mysterio, even getting a 2 7/8 count on an early Attitude Adjustment. But when he tagged in Batista, things went sour for the faces. Not wanting to deal with his ex-best friend before their showdown on April 2, Mysterio tagged in Angle, and it was pretty much a 2-on-1 for a good while. Repeated in and out tags (Mysterio only came in when he knew Batista was no threat to him) and isolation in the heels' corner meant that Cena could only watch his half-brother get worn down. Eventually, Batista got the hot tag when he powered out of the Ankle Lock. The Conseco Fieldhouse exploded as Cena came in to deal with Mysterio, almost the exact opposite reaction the WWE Champion will get come Sunday. A stiff clothesline, two flying shoulderblocks, and a spinout powerbomb. You can't see me! Five-Knuckle Shuffle! Cena sized up the San Diego luchador and went for another AA, but Angle blasted him in the skull with the United States Championship. It was ruled a disqualification victory for the Brothers as Batista also got a belt shot. Mysterio got a belt from under the ring and choked out his ex-best friend with it while Angle threw Cena into the steel steps nine times. Now bleeding, the WWE Champion was victim to two Angle Slams - one through a wooden table and one through the announce table. "Gold Medal" by Tha Trademarc played in Indianapolis as Angle posed with both titles up for grabs at WrestleMania in the middle of the ring. "Booyaka 619" by P.O.D. then played as Mysterio spit on Batista and did his signature pose to loud booing.

At WrestleMania 22, two men will cross paths one-on-one for the first time with stakes as high as these. WWE Champion John Cena against United States Champion Kurt Angle. Winner walks out of the shadows of Chicago with both titles. Loser is given nothing. And there are no countouts, no disqualifications. No limits. You either get the three-count right there in that squared circle or you make your opponent tap out. Will Cena keep his seventh title reign alive and become the United States Champion for the first time? Or is Angle so determined to get to the top again, Cena will have no answer? One thing's for sure: Whoever wins at WrestleMania will be the first man in company history to hold both the WWE and U.S. titles.