WWE TLC 2013: 5 John Cena vs. Randy Orton Matches To Watch First

1. WWE Champiosnhip Anything Goes Ironman Match - Bragging Rights (2009)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL65vWfBIys In a few hours, the classic Ironman Match between Orton and Cena will have become the penultimate showdown of their long and storied rivalry. What a battle it was. In the final chapter of their 2009 saga, much was at stake. The WWE Championship, which they had traded at back-to-back-to-back PPVs, was on its usual pedestal. Cena would also have had to leave Raw had he lost. 60-minutes were put on the clock and the most falls within an hour determined the winner. It is one of the most sparingly used gimmick matches in the WWE for a reason, reserved only for a handful of wrestlers who truly earn the right (and have the talent to entertain an audience for an hour). It took place at the height of Orton's storytelling ability and psychology and, subsequently, was the best match of his career. Cena, once again, emerged victorious, but it never seemed as though Cena was the focal point of the Cena-Orton matches. Each of their top matches has tended to highlight what makes Orton so good, while quietly but pronouncedly overshadowing Cena's contributions. Never was there a better example of Orton realizing his potential as a pro wrestler than against Cena at 2009's Bragging Rights. He was utterly outstanding in defeat. Football analysts sometimes speak of having a "high football IQ." Orton's wrestling IQ is off the charts. Cena is no slouch and has an unmatched mastery of engaging the audience, but Orton is a genius in the realm of facial expressions and match psychology. It is evident that his mentor was known as the "Cerebral Assassin." Orton is a wrestling psychology savant. He gets by on it just as Cena gets by on his charisma and grit. Here were just a few of Orton's highlights from the Ironman match, again taking nothing away from Cena's performance: Orton tapped out quickly to the STF to conserve energy, but lay in wait to catch Cena with the RKO while he was doing his silly 5 Knuckle Shuffle to tie up the falls at 1-1. He busted Cena open by using the butt of the microphone, adding a much needed crimson element to a match between two guys that are supposed to hate each other (blood was transitioning to being outlawed after many years of overuse). Whenever Cena kicked out of his pin attempts, he went from looking like a serial killer to looking like he just got out of the Arkham Asylum (Batman). He countered the Attitude Adjustment into one of the five greatest RKOs of all-time. When they were fighting on the entrance ramp, he noticed the pyro control board and looked like Sylvester the Cat with an idea of how to catch Tweedy bird. His expression before pressing those buttons blurred the lines between what's character and what's in this guy's head that allows him to tap into that character. He then proceeded to try to blow Cena up. He flipped out when it didn't work, like Gollum after losing his "precious" (with body language second to none). After gaining a 5-4 lead, he started playing defense with the clock winding down. Though Cena was notorious for being a babyface but getting heavily booed, Orton's heel work turned the crowd in Cena's favor. Unbelievable performance! 2009 was Orton's top year as a pro. John Cena and Randy Orton have knocked 'em out of the park before and they'll do it again at TLC.