The legendary WWE rivalry between John Cena and Randy Orton reached its climax at Backlash 2025. The event took place on May 10, 2025, in St. Louis, Orton’s hometown. Cena defended his Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton in what may be their final match.
Cena won the match after 27 minutes of intense action. The finish was chaotic, involving multiple referee bumps and a surprise run-in by R-Truth. This victory extends Cena’s undefeated streak against Orton to five matches. Their last encounter before this was in 2017, where Cena also won.
The build-up to this match was filled with drama. Cena turned into a villain after controversially defeating Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41. Orton, now a fan favorite, stepped up to challenge Cena. Their long history includes 21 previous matches, with Cena leading 13-7-1 in singles competition.
Fans expected a dramatic finish, and they got one. The match had callbacks to their 2008 No Way Out bout, where Orton got disqualified to keep his title. This time, Cena used similar tactics to retain his championship. The crowd was electric, especially when Orton hit multiple RKOs on WWE officials.
The event was streamed live on Peacock in the U.S. and Netflix internationally. Other matches included Jacob Fatu retaining the United States Championship and Lyra Valkyria defending her Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch.
Cena and Orton have been rivals for over 20 years, starting in Ohio Valley Wrestling. Their battles include Hell in a Cell, TLC, and “I Quit” matches. Together, they hold 31 World Titles, making this one of the most decorated rivalries in WWE history.
After the match, Cena cut a promo saying he “needs competition.” This hints at more challenges ahead before his eventual retirement. With Money in the Bank coming soon, WWE may already be planning Cena’s next opponent.
The match was rated B+ by analysts. While the action was great, the messy finish with R-Truth’s interference divided fans. Some loved the nostalgia, while others felt it took away from the moment.
Here are the full results from WWE Backlash 2025:
- John Cena defeated Randy Orton to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.
- Jacob Fatu retained the United States Championship in a Fatal Four-Way.
- Lyra Valkyria defeated Becky Lynch to keep the Women’s Intercontinental Title.
- Dominik Mysterio retained the Intercontinental Championship against Penta.
- Gunther defeated Pat McAfee in a non-title match.
Cena and Orton’s rivalry is one of the greatest in WWE history. Their final chapter at Backlash 2025 was a fitting end to a story that began decades ago. Whether this truly is their last match remains to be seen.
“Randy, this match has to happen at Backlash. In St. Louis. At your home. You get to spend the day with your family. I need Randy Orton at his best. After Backlash, if you fail, you won’t have any excuses.” – John Cena on SmackDown.
“A child just gave me the finger. Classy.” – John Cena reacting to a fan during a promo.
Credits: WWE, Screen Rant, Yahoo Sports, Marca
