John Cena Promises to End Childhoods Before Final Showdown with Randy Orton

DAYTON, Ohio — John Cena lit up the WWE SmackDown stage during his anticipated visit on May 9, just a day before his final match against Randy Orton at Backlash. Cena, 46, faced a raucous crowd where an empty beer bottle was hurled at him, illustrating the mixed emotions surrounding his departure.

As Cena spoke, he vowed to ‘kill’ the childhoods of fans by emphasizing the significance of his last showdown with Orton. He noted that, after years of competition, this bout would serve as a definitive closure. “Tomorrow your childhood dies,” Cena proclaimed, referencing the choices fans would have to make between the two WWE icons.

He criticized Orton, calling him a failure and an embarrassment to what a WWE Superstar should represent, drawing attention to their long-standing rivalry dating back nearly 25 years. Cena’s intensity escalated when he mentioned Orton’s family legacy, which fueled the audience’s respective cheers and boos.

Just as Cena appeared to anticipate some sort of confrontation, a Randy Orton look-alike attempted an RKO from behind but fell victim to Cena’s Attitude Adjustment. Moments later, the real Randy Orton struck, delivering the RKO and leaving Cena stunned. As Orton raised the championship belt amidst the chaotic energy, he drove home the anticipation for their impending clash.

WWE’s SmackDown show closed with the inside tension palpable, setting the stage for what fans hope to be a historic encounter at Backlash.