#109: Randy Orton vs. John Cena, WWE Bragging Rights (10/25/2009).
This is an Anything Goes 60 Minute Iron Man Match for Orton's WWE Championship. If Cena loses, he must leave Raw.
Hindsight is interesting, isn't it? Looking back on my childhood, I can't seem to grasp exactly why WWE made a big deal out of these two feuding with one another. And yet, when I look back on my childhood, I remember that I was huge into this feud for a long time. John Cena, the biggest star in the company, and Randy Orton, the star prodigy, going at it over the WWE Title.
Though it certainly wasn't the last time they feuded, 2009 is considered the year when people became sick of seeing these two wrestle. I get it, but only because I don't think the match quality from that year has held up AT ALL. The SummerSlam match was an overbooked mess. The I Quit Match at Breaking Point was ruined because of the way it ended (LOLCenawins). And The Hell in a Cell match at the namesake PPV...well, it just flat out sucked.
PG WWE, am I right? Still, this match had me more hyped than anything at the time. A true video game come to life: a 60 Minute Iron Man match, with no DQ, no countouts, and falls count anywhere. It was perfect. It was built as the final confrontation between Orton and Cena (lol), and the stipulation was added that if Cena were to lose, he would leave Monday Night Raw for good. High stakes indeed for the match that commentary often called the biggest feud in WWE history. But, has this match held up?
The bell sounds, and both men lock up quickly. Cena takes control of the arm, then pops off a side headlock takedown. Orton gets to his feet, and forces Cena into the turnbuckle. He strikes him down to the mat.
Orton with the side headlock now, and he cranks away at Cena's neck. Cena is back to his feet, and he gets a nice hip toss going. Orton with a hard Irish whip into the corner that drops the challenger. Orton with an uppercut, and a stomp to the midsection.
Cena fights back with an Irish whip, and Orton counters a bulldog attempt. He kicks Cena's back repeatedly. He grinds his boot into Cena's face. More punches from Orton keep Cena grounded.
Orton loses focus and Cena with a drop toe hold into the STF, and Orton quickly taps out! Smart move by the champion.
John Cena (1), Randy Orton (0).
Orton rushes Cena and eats several punches. Scoop slam by Orton, followed by a diving knee to the face, and Orton slithers away like the Viper he is. He kicks Cena's midsection, then chokes him on the mat.
Orton grabs Cena from the apron and hits a Suplex for a 2 count. Orton with the trusty chin lock next. Cena tries to stand, but Orton wrenches harder, and he falls again. Cena uses his upper body strength to escape, then he connects with the Throwback.
Cena scales the top rope, and hits the diving legdrop to the back of Orton's neck. Cena gears up for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, and as he goes for it, Orton hits the RKO out of nowhere, and he gets the next fall!
Randy Orton (1), John Cena (1).
Cena rolls to the apron, and Orton runs into him, sending him rib first into the ringside barricade. He smashes Cena into the steel steps, and then onto the apron. Orton begins to tear apart the announcer's table. He grabs a monitor and crushes Cena in the head with it. Orton covers on the floor, but Cena kicks out.
Orton rolls Cena into the ring, and then grabs a microphone. He hits Cena on top of the head with it, and he makes the cover. Cena is able to kick out. Cena is busted open now. The referee separates the two, as a ringside doctor checks on Cena to clean him up. They actually stopped the clock for this. Damn you, PG Era.
Cena explodes up and continues the attack to Orton, sending him flying to the outside. He rolls out to the floor and sends Orton into the steps. Orton fights back and sends Cena into them, topping them over. Orton covers, and Cena kicks out.
Orton drags Cena onto the bottom step, and drops his boot into Cena's skull. Another cover, and Cena kicks out. Both men are back in the Ring, and Orton continues to punch the open wound.
Orton signals for the RKO next. Cena counters it, and hits two shoulder blocks. Side slam follows, and the bloody Cena is back in control. This time, he hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
Cena hits the AA, but Orton also hits the RKO on the way down! Both men are covering each other, and the referee counts the fall! Both men gain a point!
Randy Orton (2), John Cena (2).
The doctors are attending to Cena again. Orton rushes him, and Cena avoids it, sending Orton shoulder first into the ring post. Cena places Orton on the top rope. He looks for a super AA, and he hits it perfect! Cena crawls to the cover, and that's enough for 3.
John Cena (3), Randy Orton (2).
Here comes Legacy - Ted DiBiase, and currently WWE Champion Cody Rhodes! They're beating the hell out of Cena during the interval between the falls. DiBiase hits Dream Street on Cena, then they drag Orton over Cena, and he gets a fall.
Randy Orton (3), John Cena (3).
Kofi Kingston is here, and he chases Legacy to the back with a chair. Cena and Orton are back up, and they take each other down with a double clothesline. Cena takes Orton down, and starts to throw haymakers. They both end up on the floor now, and begin to fight up the entrance ramp.
Cena punches Orton, and then gets his head smashes off the barricade by the stage. Orton kicks Cena hard in the head, and gets a nearfall off of it. He bangs Cena's face off of an electrical box. He then smashes his face off of some Pyro equipment, and it sets off some Pyro on the stage. Orton now has a devious idea.
He throws Cena through a lighting area apart of the set, and it explodes. Orton makes the cover, and that gets a fall.
Randy Orton (4), John Cena (3).
Orton ponders at the Pyro equipment, and starts pressing buttons. He follows Cena to the stage, along with a chair. He hits him across the back with it, then drags him to the part of the stage where the Pyro had gone off.
Orton goes back, and argues with the tech guy and the ref. Then, he starts frantically smashing buttons, setting off a bunch of Pyro, but Cena thankfully rolls out of the way in time. Orton is ticked, and goes back on the assault. Cena was shielding his eyes, as he may be blinded.
More punches from the champion, and now Orton mounts him on the ramp with strikes. They make their way back to ringside, and Orton sends Cena into the barricade, and the other set of steel steps.
Orton grabs the steps and just launches them at Cena, crashing into his head. He makes the cover, and Cena kicks out. Orton drives his boot into Cena's chest repeatedly. Orton grabs a chair, and hits Cena across the back with it. Another cover, and another kick out.
Back in the Ring, Orton grabs Cena, who then counters with a quick roll up for a flash pin! Another tie!
John Cena (4), Randy Orton (4).
Orton attacks Cena during the interval, but he's separated by the referee. Orton drags Cena out onto the apron. He dangles there, with his arms draped over the sides. He grabs Cena's head, then plants him with a DDT to the floor below. You know it's serious because commentary are using their serious voices. Orton covers, and gets the win.
Randy Orton (5), John Cena (4).
Orton quickly makes another cover, but Cena kicks out this time. Orton rolls Cena back into the Ring, and stomps the back of his head, then his arms, and then his legs. Orton cranks the neck, then drives his forearm into the chest. A diving knee follows, and Cena is able to kick out from the pin attempt.
Orton punches Cena one time, and Cena just crumbles. Cena slowly makes his way back to his feet, and Orton strikes him again. He makes the cover, and Cena is able to kick out. Cena ducks a strike, and hits Orton so hard that he goes to the outside.
Orton walks quickly up the stage and stares at the clock. Cena leaves the ring, and meets Orton up there. The champion quickly strikes Cena, dropping him again. Cena punches Orton, who sprints away back to the Ring. Cena is frustrated.
Cena rolls into the ring, and Orton quickly goes on the offensive with hard strikes to the back and the open wound on the head. Orton with a few stomps to the back to follow. Cena is on the apron, and Orton tries for the Implant DDT. Cena counters into the AA, but Orton escapes and goes into the crowd to stall for time.
They are running up the rafters, and Cena catches Orton. Cena hits the champion with a trash can. Cena punches him, and he falls down a flight of stairs. Cena is right behind him, to make sure he doesn't scurry away. Now Cena is throwing the single shots to drop Orton.
Cena throws Orton over the barricade, and makes the cover. Orton kicks out. Cena stands one of the steps on its side, then smashes Orton's face off of it. He makes the cover, and Orton kicks out. Cena drags him around ringside, and throws him shoulder first into the barricade. Now he gets thrown back first.
Cena nods at the Armed Forces sitting at ringside, then he throws Orton through the timekeeper's barricade, destroying it in the process. Cena drags the bottom steel steps over by the announcer's table. Next, he grabs the top half and hits Orton across the head with it.
Cena takes the top half and places it on the bottom half, all next to commentary. Cena lifts Orton up and places him across his shoulders. He walks over to the steps, and goes up one step at a time. At the top, he hits the AA to Orton, sending him crashing through the announcer's table! He makes the cover, and gets the fall! We are tied!
John Cena (5), Randy Orton (5).
Cena rushes to the outside to make another cover, but Orton kicks out at the last second. With less than 8 minutes to go, Cena grabs a table from under the ring and places it inside the Ring. Orton is struggling hard to get back to his feet. Cena sets the table up.
Cena lifts Orton up and drags him back into the Ring. He places Orton onto the table and then goes to the top rope. He dives off with a leg drop, but Orton rolls out of the way just in time, and Cena crashes through the table.
5 minutes remain. Orton slithers to Cena, and they exchange shots on their knees. They slowly get to their feet, and the strikes continue. Shoulder tackle by Cena, and then another that takes the referee out by mistake! Orton with an RKO out of nowhere! Another referee comes in to count, and Cena kicks out!!
2 minutes remain. Orton attacks the new Referee. He's frustrated, but then he gets a fun idea. He backs to the turnbuckle, and readies himself for the Punt Kick. He goes for it, but Cena avoids it and gets the STF locked in, in the middle of the ring!!
45 seconds! The referee is right there! Cena is ripping and tearing! 30 seconds! Cena will not let up, and Orton is holding on! 20 seconds! Orton is scrambling for any way out of this!
Orton taps out with 5 seconds to go, and Cena takes the final fall!
John Cena (6), Randy Orton (5).
So, while I do think this is an overall good match, I can't say that it's held up over time. I remember it being a lot crazier - the same thing happened with the I Quit Match - and it ended up kind of being tame. I'll admit, the spots themselves were well done, and the weapon usage felt like it matter, but a rivalry with this much history, and the complete lack of rules for this match, should have gone a little further. It's pretty bad when Orton trying to blow up Cena on live PPV is considered not enough.
This match also suffers from what every Iron Man match suffers from: Dull periods. I get what Orton was going for with those prolonged strikes and stares, but my God, it slowed the fucking match down to a halt. Makes sense. If these guys are going 60, those moments will happen. I just hate when they're so obvious.
Oh, speaking of stopping the match to a halt, the doctors trying to clean Cena's blood up nearly took me out of the illusion. Like, come on. The feud needs it! Can you imagine if Cena bled in Hell in a Cell and a doctor tried to clean it up? Blasphemy!
When this match worked, though, it worked. The crowd was invested, though a little quiet at times. The high spots worked. Credit to Cena for really selling his anger at Orton throughout with his facials. Cena around this time wasn't known for being, well, good. But here, I think he did a great job at selling what this all meant to him. Orton was hit and miss, as he was around this time.
Is this their best match? A close second for me. I still think their SummerSlam 2007 match is the best singles outing they've had. But this is a solid 2nd place in the feud.