WWE Backlash 2025: 7 Nightmares That Could Come True

In promos, John Cena would tell you that he's not the same version of himself from before. That's a heel ploy painstakingly scripted to give fans the middle finger for rejecting 'Super Cena' with boos for many years. He's snapped and has had enough of your nonsense, but there is actual truth to what John is saying. He definitely isn't a patch on the in-ring performer he was before this latest run.

Being fair, how could he be? Cena is more of an actor than a wrestler these days, and he hasn't worked a full-time schedule in WWE since 2017-ish. Yep, he knows the company's main event style inside out, but it isn't out of line to say his match vs. Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 was a crushing disappointment bell to bell. At times, John moved like someone had dumped gallons of treacle onto the mat.

Together, he and Randy Orton have more in-ring experience than most, but they probably won't be able to work matches on par with anything they produced before. Any fan of either should be hoping and praying that they don't suck wind on Saturday night at Backlash. It'd be a nightmare if they worked a 1998/1999-level of WCW pay-per-view main event.

The hype isn't out of hand for Cena vs. Orton, at least, but that could change in a hurry once fans get swept up in the atmosphere this weekend. Suddenly, a few minutes into the headliner, everyone could collectively realise that they're watching the worst John vs. Randy match in history.

Hopefully not.