“Utmost respect for every achievement” - John Cena sends a humble message to longtime WWE rival

John Cena has shared his thoughts on Randy Orton completing 20 years in WWE.

The Apex Predator made his debut for the company on the April 25th, 2002, edition of SmackDown, in a winning effort against Hardcore Holly. Since then, the third-generation star has soared to great heights, becoming the world champion 14 times.

John Cena, one of Orton's fiercest rivals, recently took to Twitter to express admiration for his fellow WWE Superstar. Check out his statement below:

"For 20 years @RandyOrton has cemented his legacy as 1 of the greatest @WWE Superstars ever. I have the utmost respect for every achievement he’s earned & CONTINUES to earn. But my genuine love & admiration for him is in his maturity & growth as a human being. Here’s to RKO!" Cena tweeted.

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John Cena shared a lengthy rivalry with Randy Orton in WWE

The 16-time world champion and Orton have crossed paths numerous times throughout their impressive careers.

In 2021, WWE released a list of Cena's top 10 rivals and ranked The Viper number one.

Both men have faced each other more than 15 times in televised bouts, and the winning record is in favor of Cena.

Their first one-on-one main roster showdown went down in November 2005, and their last singles match was on the February 7th, 2017, episode of SmackDown.

The two wrestlers were top prospects for the company during their time together at Ohio Valley Wrestling and turned out to be significant success stories.

While John Cena has transitioned into a part-time WWE role due to his acting career, Randy Orton is still going strong as one-half of the RAW Tag Team Champions.

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Where do you rank Randy Orton amongst the all-time greats? Sound off in the comments section below!