WWE is now advertising the scheduled Backlash contest featuring John Cena and Randy Orton as the final time the two competitors will face each other one-on-one. Recent promotional updates emphasize this point, declaring it the “last time” fans will see the matchup.
The match pits Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena against Randy Orton on May 10. Notably, the description of this being their ultimate singles encounter was not included in initial marketing for the Backlash event.
This bout represents another milestone in John Cena’s planned retirement journey, set to conclude at the end of 2025. He has already completed his final participation in the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber matches, alongside a concluding victory at WrestleMania.
Related content
Throughout their extensive history, Cena and Orton have battled 21 times on WWE programming. Their confrontations occurred under various stipulations such as Hell in a Cell, TLC, and an “I Quit” match. John Cena leads their head-to-head record at 13-7-1 and emerged victorious in their last four meetings, dating back to a 2017 match on WWE SmackDown.
As champion, John Cena has stated an objective to “ruin wrestling” by retiring with the Undisputed WWE Championship. He claims this would eliminate the title’s 62-year lineage, compelling WWE to establish a new championship, which Cena has referred to as a mere “toy” lacking prestige.
READ MORE: John Cena Set For Rare SmackDown Match
