For the first time in over a decade, John Cena and Randy Orton will headline a WWE premium live event. The 17-time world champion will put his Undisputed WWE Championship on the line against The Viper in an old-but-new matchup at Backlash on Saturday, May 10, this time with their traditional babyface/heel roles reversed.
These two share a long, storied history, having faced off countless times throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s. They headlined pay-per-views to the point of exhaustion, with frequent clashes on weekly WWE television as well. Creative went back to the well so often that WWE eventually had to promote one of their encounters as the match happening “for the last time.”
Still, before the rivalry wore thin, Cena and Orton produced several standout matches, many of which headlined major events. Here are some of their very best.
3. WWE Championship match at SummerSlam 2007
At SummerSlam 2007, John Cena and Randy Orton collided in their first one-on-one pay-per-view bout for the WWE Championship, headlining the show with a fresh, new showdown. Cena was cementing himself as WWE’s franchise player after rising from midcard status, while Orton had finally stepped out of Evolution’s shadow as the brash “Legend Killer.” For both superstars, this match was a proving ground and a glimpse at WWE’s future.
Little did fans know at the time that this dynamic clash would kick-start a rivalry between two future Hall of Famers. That rivalry was destined to become one of WWE’s most iconic feuds. The match solidified both superstars’ main-event status, showcasing the chemistry and intensity that would come to define an era in WWE.
2. Iron Man match for the WWE Championship at Bragging Rights 2009
By the time Bragging Rights 2009 rolled around, fans had seen John Cena and Randy Orton go at it more times than they could probably remember. The matchup had been done many times, but this one felt a little different, as the Iron Man stipulation gave this program the ending it deserved. Cena’s spot on Raw was on the line, Orton’s title was up for grabs, and the company gave them a full hour to finally end a rivalry that had defined a good chunk of the late 2000s.
What made it work wasn’t just the length or the rules—it was the tone. It felt like a reset, a chance to treat their story with a little more weight. Even fans who were exhausted by the matchup could feel that this was supposed to be the payoff. There was a sense of finality to it. This match wasn’t about who had the better finisher, but who could walk away from this rivalry with a little more than just another win.
1. I Quit match for the WWE Championship at Breaking Point 2009
The I Quit match at Breaking Point 2009 felt like a necessary shift in the John Cena vs. Randy Orton rivalry. By that point, fans had seen them face off plenty of times, with some even burned out by it. But this match took things to a different place. as the stipulation forced both guys to lean into who they were at their core.
This match stood out because it didn’t try to be flashy. It was gritty, uncomfortable, and at times hard to watch. For all the repetition in their feud, this was one of the rare bouts that stood out. It pushed their dynamic in a more emotional direction and gave fans something they hadn’t really seen between them before. It wasn't just another title match, but about refusing to back down.
In a rivalry that felt never-ending, Breaking Point was one of the few moments that actually had an impact.