All Randy Ortons were matched in WWE Backlash and were reviewed definitively

The final showdown will take place at Backlash 2025 Randy Orton And John Cena will be playing two rivals in the WWE Championship. Randy Orton has played games with more backlash than you remember. The match against Cena marks Orton’s 11th match at the event.

Viper stepped into the ring with some of the biggest names in Backlash’s WWE history. He did it all with the backlash. From winning the greatest classic of all time with Cactus Jack to dropping the WWE Championship shockingly, it dropped to Jinder Mahal for everyone! In this article, we will revisit and rank all of Randy Orton’s backlash matches (to date).

9

Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy – WWE US Championship (Backlash 2018)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 5.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 2.25 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 4.58

You’ve probably heard it millions already, but Backlash 2018 was a really awful show. The dull Roman ruler/Samoa Joe main event, the endless AJ style/Nakamura Saga Shinshi, the confusion and incredibly pointless Daniel Brian/Big Cass feud… we can continue. A somewhat forgotten match for that event is Jeff Hardy vs Randy Orton for the US Championships.

Everyone remembers the 2008 game, or even the Cell game a few months later, but this isn’t the case. There’s a reason for that. Technically, there was no problem with the match from Bell to Bell, just Card match. Hardy reversed RKO before a doomed twist followed by a Swanton bomb to retain the title. That was fine, but fans were hoping for more given the names involved.

8

Randy Orton Vs. Jinder Mahal – WWE Championship (Backlash 2017)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 5.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 2.75 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 4.91

Randy Orton won his ninth WWE Championship when he defeated Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 33. They competed at the annual Andre major Memorial Battle Royale at the pre-show, losing to Mojo Laurie. Before being drafted in the 2017 draft, Jinder Mahal was a Jobber for Raw.

That’s nothing wrong, but I quickly felt that I gave him a WWE title shot against Randy Orton. From defeat to Jack Swagger in 2 minutes, can you defeat AJ Styles, Randy Orton and others? It’s insane, but that’s exactly what happened. Mahal then shocked the world when he became WWE champion with the backlash.

7

Legacy vs. Triple H, Batista & Shane McMahon – WWE Championship, Six Man Tag Team Match (Backlash 2009)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 6.5/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 3.5 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 6.33

Randy Orton failed in WRETLEMANIA 25 against WWE Champion Triple H in one of the most disappointing main events in mania history. Their feud continued, with the title being played in a rare six-man tag team match in the backlash. Orton’s legacy faced Triple H, Batista and Shane McMahon in games or matches where only Vipers could go out on the belt.

The match was fine from Bell to Bell, but it felt like a normal, live match than a major world title match in PPV. Orton ran away and threw Cody Rhodes and Ted Diviaze Jr. early on to the wolves. The heels ultimately turned things around to set up a triple H hot tag. Ultimately, Orton exploited the misconception between Triple H and Batista, hitting the champion with RKO followed by a punt kick for the victory.

6

Randy Orton Vs. Triple H vs. John Cena Vs. JBL – WWE Championship, Fatal 4-way Elimination Match (Backlash 2008)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 7/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 3.5 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 7.30

At Backlash 2009, Orton won the Triple H WWE Championship in a Multiman match. A year ago, the opposite happened. Legend Killer defended the WWE Championship in the game, defending JBL and John Cena on the fatal Four Way Elimination Match. The odds were against Orton, but he had a big win over Cena and Triple H at WrestleMania 24.

The match was pretty good and Orton almost pulled away from another big win. Orton looked wisely at John Cena with a punt kick shortly after John forced JBL to submit to the STF. Orton and Triple H engaged in an exciting before and after battle at the final moments. This ended with the game winning its seventh WWE Championship.

5

Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. Solosicore & Tamatonga (Backlash France 2024)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 8/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 8.09

Randy Orton and Kevin Owens were involved in an entertaining storyline for nearly a year that was supposed to peak at WrestleMania 41. They went from their partner to their disliked rivals, but unfortunately, Owens was seriously injured in April 2025.

Group leader Roman Reigns had just lost WWE’s incontroversial championship at WrestleMania, so Solosikoa and Tama Tonga wanted to set an example for veterans. In Backlash: France, with the help of debuting Tonga Roa, Bloodline won a big victory after Solo Cicor delivered Samoa Spikes to Kevin Owens in front of one of the greatest crowds in WWE history.

4

Drew McIntyre & Rk-bro Vs. Rule of Rome & Zausus (Wrestlemania Backlash 2022)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 8.5/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 8.05

Randy Orton, like many of the top WWE stars in the early 2020s, had a pedigree and a long history. Two years before the aforementioned defeat to Solosicore & Tamanga, Orton worked with Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre to face Roman rule and lies.

All six men sunk everything but the kitchen into each other in this funny 22-minute match. The newly crowned WWE uncontroversial champion ruler won by blood after striking a spear with the Riddle. Just a few weeks later, USOS defeated RK-Bro in the championships for both the RAW and SMACKDOWD tag teams.

3

Randy Orton Vs. Edge (Backlash 2020)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 8.75/10

• Dave Meltzer rating: n/r
• cagematch.net Rating: 8.35

Wrestling fans couldn’t believe it when “rated R Superstar” Edge made a shocking return in the 2020 WWE Royal Rumble match. After a somewhat disappointing final man’s match at WrestleMania 36, ​​which won the WrestleMania 36, ​​they were scheduled to meet again at Backlash.

WWE promoted it Best wrestling match evercatchphrases that were laughed out by fans online – especially after there weren’t many funnies matches. The fact is edge, Orton played a great match with backlash, swapping iconic finishers back and forth in between. Was this the best wrestling match ever? It definitely isn’t…but it was so amazing.

2

Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Edge vs. Shawn Michaels – WWE Championship (Backlash 2007)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 8.75/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 8.91

The main event of Backlash 2007 featured one of the most chaotic and exciting WWE Championship matches of all time. At the time champion John Cena raised his spinner belt in a fatal four-way match with Legend Killer, Shawn Michaels and Edge. All four men approached victory many times, and the final minutes were sensational.

A sequence of finishes – the edge of the spear to Orton, Aaa (still known as FU at the time) and Orton, and finally Michaels put Senna with sweet chin music, Cena culminating in the top of Orton. The referees counted against three, allowing Cena to “erroneously” win and maintain the WWE Championship.

1

Randy Orton Vs. Cactus Jack – WWE Intercontinental Championship, Hardcore Match (Backlash 2004)

Overall rating from TheSportster: 9.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 stars
• cagematch.net Rating: 9.36

Randy Orton’s first match in the backlash happened when he was still a member of evolution. Speaking of evolution, they got a big win over Lock & Mick Foley at WrestleMania 20 after Orton locked up Foley. Backlash saw the then 24-year-old legendary murderer defending his WWE Intercontinental Championship with Cactus Jack in a hardcore match.

The match was absolutely brutal and indeed ugly – in the best possible way! It was a great match and not only was the biggest match of Randy Orton’s entire career, but it was that match I made it Randy Orton. Mick Foley looked over the young man in a big way throughout the match. Just a few months later, Orton had already won the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time.