As WWE looks ahead to its next Premium Live Event. The stage is now officially set for the main event of WWE Backlash, and it is one that is steeped in history and legacy.

John Cena is scheduled to defend the WWE Championship against Randy Orton in what is being promoted as their final showdown. The marquee bout carries the tagline “one last time,” marking what could be the final chapter in one of WWE’s most iconic rivalries.

This highly anticipated clash will mark the first time Cena and Orton have faced each other in a singles match since they headlined a non-televised live event in New Mexico back on February 11, 2017. Their decades-spanning feud has played out in some of WWE’s biggest arenas, and now it appears both veterans are ready to settle the score once and for all.

The road to this encounter began on the RAW after WrestleMania 41, where John Cena addressed the WWE Universe following his hard-fought victory over Cody Rhodes to become the Undisputed WWE Champion. However, his moment of celebration was short-lived. As Cena wrapped up his promo, he was blindsided by an RKO from Randy Orton, laying the groundwork for their upcoming collision at Backlash.

With the WWE Championship on the line and the weight of their storied history behind it, Cena vs. Orton promises to be an emotional, hard-hitting finale to their storied rivalry.

Surprise, surprise: The main event of Backlash is set to be John Cena vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship—billed as “one last time.”

This will be their first singles match since 2/11/17, when they headlined a house show in New Mexico.

— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) April 25, 2025