John Cena to make huge WWE Backlash announcement on SmackDown? Exploring major ramifications for Randy Orton

This week's episode of WWE SmackDown will feature John Cena. The Last Real Champion is scheduled to appear in Dayton, Ohio. There, he could make a huge WWE Backlash announcement that could have major ramifications for Randy Orton.

The announcement could see John Cena add a stipulation to his match with Randy Orton. Given the history behind their rivalry and the fact that it is being advertised as "One. Last. Time," it certainly is a possibility, especially considering that the stipulation will be an "I Quit" match.

Over the course of their careers, John Cena and Randy Orton have gone head-to-head in singles matches 23 times on broadcasted shows. Backlash 2025 will mark their 25th encounter, but according to many fans, perhaps the greatest match between them was at WWE Breaking Point in 2009, which was an "I Quit" match.

The Leader of the Cenation came out on top back then, so looking to get a psychological advantage over his opponent, he could add the same stipulation to this match. It would also add a bit of nostalgia to the affair, as fans, at least on paper, will get to see Orton and Cena go head-to-head for the last time.

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Realistically, WWE might want to hold off on this, as the feud could go beyond Backlash 2025. However, at the end of the day, this is just speculation, and there is no telling what the future holds for either superstar.

Randy Orton claimed John Cena would be the next legend he puts down

This feud between Randy Orton and John Cena is incredibly personal. The history between the two of them aside, this is a monumental occasion, as it is "heel" Cena versus "babyface" Orton, and the former has done everything in his power to turn this into a blood feud.

On the SmackDown following WrestleMania, after the challenge was issued, Cena vowed to end Orton and delete his family from the wrestling history books. This, of course, angered The Legend Killer, who made a declaration a week later.

Appearing in front of the WWE Universe in Des Moines, Iowa, Orton made one thing clear. He claimed that Cena will not be remembered as the "Last Real Champion", but rather as the next legend he puts down.

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Come Backlash 2025, it will be interesting to see who lives up to their word. Will it be Cena, who has vowed to end the Orton family legacy? Or, will it be Orton, who aims to put down Cena as just another legend? Only time will tell.

About the author

Nithin is a Pro Wrestling writer who covers WWE news stories at Sportskeeda. He holds an MBA degree and has 4 years of content writing experience working for the likes of The SportsRush and GiveMeSport. His association with SK goes way back as he wrote for the pro wrestling division earlier, too, and interned with the team while pursuing his undergraduate degree.

Nithin’s writing style is inspired by the storytelling abilities of Japanese mangakas Eiichiro Oda, Masashi Kishimoto, and English authors like George R.R. Martin and JRR Tolkien. He strives to keep his reports accurate and relevant by keeping up to date with the pro wrestling world and catering to reader preferences.

He is a huge fan of Seth Rollins’ workhorse mentality and Sami Zayn’s never-say-die spirit. He says that if he could go back to The Attitude Era, he would love to manage Kurt Angle and bring out his ‘Wrestling Machine’ character much earlier in his career.

In his free time, Nithin watches, reads, and makes videos about sports on his YouTube channel ‘The Daily Raid.’ He also enjoys gaming, watching anime, and reading manga.

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Edited by Nithin Joseph