John Cena Faces Randy Orton at WWE Backlash 2025: Battle for the Undisputed WWE Title

John Cena 's first Undisputed WWE Championship defense will face off against an old adversary.

At WWE Backlash, it will feature Cena going up against Randy Orton for the championship, bringing these two future Hall of Famers back into the ring once again.

After Cena claimed the championship at WrestleMania 41. , he elaborated on his scheme to "destroy wrestling" during his last year competing inside the ring Raw After WrestleMania However, he was cut off by Orton delivering an RKO.

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On SmackDown, the two competitors confronted each other with Orton criticizing Cena’s altered demeanor and expressing his concern about Cena potentially damaging WWE. Orton promptly issued a challenge for an immediate matchup, however, Cena proposed they settle their differences at Backlash instead, noting that the event would take place in St. Louis, which happens to be Orton's hometown. In response, Cena launched an assault on Orton, only to have “The Viper” retaliate with an RKO.

WrestleMania 41 takeaways: Uncertain emotions about the main event featuring John Cena and Cody Rhodes.

What is the date for WWE Backlash 2025?

WWE Backlash 2025 will occur on Saturday, May 10 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

John Cena-Randy Orton history

The showdown at Backlash is expected to cap off nearly two decades of intense competition between two of WWE’s legends. Throughout their careers, they have faced each other multiple times for the WWE championship and stand among the most celebrated athletes in the company. Cena holds the record with 17 world titles, while Orton boasts an impressive 14 reigns as champion.

Cena and Orton have competed against each other numerous times throughout their WWE careers across various match types, including individual bouts, tag teams, and multi-competitor contests.

In their head-to-head encounters, Cena and Orton have squared off individually 21 times. Cena holds an advantage with a record of 13 wins to Orton’s 8 in solo matches.

In the tag team division, Cena’s teams have overwhelmingly dominated with a record of 28 wins and 6 losses when facing off against Orton and various other opponents. Additionally, in multi-wrestler matches, both sides have claimed victory six times each.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Cena vs. Randy Orton set for WWE Backlash 2025: Match for Undisputed WWE Championship