15. John Cena vs. Randy Orton - WWE Championship (2007)
Randy Ortons career hit a massive bump in the road in September 2004 when he lost the World title to Triple H after one of the most ill-advised and poorly handled face turns in wrestling lore. When you think of where he was seemingly headed when the decision was made to turn him into a babyface and put it against what he went on to do between Unforgiven 04 and the summer of 2007, it is hard not to think of what might have been. By the time that the road to Summerslam 07 began, Orton had done enough to earn back the confidence of the WWE higher ups that they put him in the biggest feud of his career. He was developing the reputation, after taking out HBK, as more than just a Legend Killer. He was morphing into the Viper a cold hearted, sadistic force to be reckoned with. John Cena was the WWE Champion and had been for nearly a year as of August, during which time he was rounding into form as the face of the company and a great performer in between the ropes. The question began to linger: who will be the one to dethrone The Champ? When it was announced that Orton would be the challenger at Summerslam, it seemed like we had our answer. The excitement in seeing that encounter was undeniable given their history.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
