10 Times Randy Orton Was Actually As Good As WWE Says He Is
5. His Feud With John Cena In 2009
While his 2009 feud with Triple H had a fantastic build but underwhelmed in the ring, Orton’s work with John Cena for the WWE Championship later that year delivered on both fronts. Both men have worked a lot together over the course of their careers, but their work as opponents has never been stronger than it was in 2009.
Across four PPVs in the second half of 2009, Orton and Cena pushed their singles rivalry to new levels of brutality. A solid singles match at SummerSlam 2009 transitioned into a brutal I Quit match at Breaking Point, one of Orton’s greatest ever displays of sadism in a ring. After that, they had a solid Hell in a Cell contest, better than the one they’d have years later, before engaging in a 60 minute Iron Man match at Bragging Rights.
Both men made the most of the hour long stipulation, throwing everything they could at each other in an energetic brilliant match, which holds up years later as an underrated classic. It’s a testament to both men’s skill that they made an hour long match invigorating.
The Cena/Orton feud might not be viewed as one of the best ever by many, but it proved Orton’s ability as a character and a worker.