WWE Backlash kicked off the next slate of premium live events in 2025, headlined by (seemingly) the last matchup between two icons of wrestling. John Cena and Randy Orton reignited their longstanding rivalry with the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line. As if the match needed any more juice, it took place in Orton’s hometown, and ended in chaotic fashion. Four other matches were contested, including Becky Lynch challenging for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship and Pat McAfee’s return to in-ring competition.
USA TODAY Sports recaps all of the results, highlights and analysis from Backlash:
John Cena attacks R-Truth at press conference
Just when it looks like Cena may be nice, he goes back to his heel ways.
After his ‘clickbait’ press conference at WrestleMania 41, Cena said he needs to be better with media and said he would actually answer all questions asked. But just as the first question was asked, R-Truth emerged to tell Cena he was proud that he won after his interference in the match. R-Truth mentioned the ‘Cena can’t wrestle’ remarks and the champion said he took it too far and to not say another word.
R-Truth did, though, and it resulted in an AA through the table. Cena then walked out of the press conference.
Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton
Meeting for (seemingly) the last time in their incredible rivalry, Cena and Orton soaked in the environment for their final chapter. Cena then put his hand out for a handshake, and when Orton put his hand out, the champion snuck in a slap. However, Orton returned the favor soon after, resulting in Cena leaving the ring.
Orton had the advantage early and Cena tried to leave, but the challenger wasn’t accepting it and he dragged Cena back into the ring. That’s when the 17-time champion finally got some offense in. It just didn’t last as Orton landed 20 consecutive blows.
After absorbing plenty of hits, Cena got his first real offensive rhythm with some of his vintage moves, capped off by the Five-Knuckle Shuffle. He went for the early end with an Attitude Adjustment, but Orton got down. Cena then got the STF hold onto Orton as the challenger tried to reach the ropes. Orton got out and then did his vintage DDT move to stop the attack.
‘The Viper’ went to strike with an RKO, and Cena was ready for it. Cena got the AA ready, and while he did land it, Orton got the arms around the neck for an RKO at the same time to take each other out in a very impressive spot.
The two got back to their feet, and Cena landed a clean AA. Orton was able to kick out of the pin attempt. Cena went for another finisher and Orton got down and surprised him with an RKO. Orton tried to go back to his ‘Legend Killer’ phase with a punt to Cena, but he got out of the way and greeted him with an AA. Orton again kicked out of the attempt to keep the match going.
Cena mocked Orton’s killer instinct move, and he tried to punt Orton. He got out of the way, and then got shoved into the referee. The champion landed another AA, but with the referee down, Cena went to get the title to use it. However, Orton shocked him with an RKO. The referee recovered to count the pin, but the slow count was enough to save Cena.
Orton decided to clear the announcer’s table, and Cena pushed his opponent into the referee, who hit his head against the steel steps. With the official out again, Cena tried the AA on Orton, but he reversed it and delivered the AA to Cena himself, onto the table.
The challenger set up a table and then used Cena’s finisher again on him to send him through the table. After two punishing spots, Orton brought Cena back in the ring and was ready for the final strike. Cena got to his feet and was met with an RKO, and even though another referee came in for the pin attempt, the champion kicked out.
Cena tried the cheap shot on Orton with the title, but he hit the referee after Orton dodged it. Orton landed another RKO and went for the pin, and even though he had it, no referee was able to count it. WWE officials came out to help the injured referees, and a frustrated Orton delivered RKOs to SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis and anyone else in a suit.
Orton readied for the punt, but R-Truth came out to stop him from hurting his ‘childhood hero.’ Orton delivered an RKO to him, but Cena got back to his feet and gave a low blow to Orton. He then hit Orton with the championship and went for the pin. It took a long time, but the referee crawled his way back and counted to three to secure Cena’s victory.
After the win, Cena took the microphone and told the crowd he doesn’t need music or the fans, but he needs competition. He held up the title as the show came to a close.
Analysis: It was (seemingly) the last time they were facing off, and Cena and Orton delivered a classic match. After the disappointing performance Cena had at WrestleMania, he improved his game against his longtime foe, almost looking like he did in the glory days in the ring. Was the match a five-star classic? No, but it was a good title match that didn’t feel like a complete dud. The atmosphere was incredible inside the arena, and the match met the moment.
There were always big moments whenever these two faced off, and they had plenty of them in this one. The AA-RKO combination move was such a great spot that many didn’t recognize at first, and the way both sides took pages out of each other’s book was a nice touch given all the history they’ve had in their careers. They both had the chance to shine. The match was going to end with chaos, but it was a relief Travis Scott or The Rock didn’t show up. That allowed things to happen somewhat organically. R-Truth showing up was confusing for a moment but comical in the sense that he has been supporting Cena in recent weeks, and maybe could play a part in Cena’s farewell tour. Cena had to win dirty, just like he’s been doing recently.
If this is indeed the last time Cena and Orton face off, they ended their rivalry on a high note. Now, a new challenger will have to come out and try to rip the title out of Cena’s hands. Who could it be? That answer doesn’t seem clear now, but it will likely be addressed in the coming week.
Watch: John Cena vs. Randy Orton introductions
Alicia Taylor gets the excitement going with her introduction of the Undisputed WWE Championship match.
Watch: John Cena makes entrance
Watch: Randy Orton makes hometown entrance at Backlash
‘The Viper’ returns home.
Pat McAfee vs. Gunther
The crowd let it be know Gunther tapped out at WrestleMania, almost angering him further. McAfee showed some fight early, getting out of a hold and landing some shots on Gunther. ‘The Ring General’ put an end to it quickly and encouraged McAfee to get some chops on him. All Gunther did was absorb it and ask for more before he sent McAfee flying. Almost anything McAfee tried to do seemed to not have any effect on Gunther.
After spending much time just standing over his opponent, Gunther finally landed the sleeper hold. However, McAfee broke out of it, only to take a German suplex and prolong the match. Gunther tried a German suplex off the top turnbuckle, and McAfee got out of it and landed a quick flurry of kicks. McAfee tried to sneak a pin but Gunther quickly got up.
McAfee landed two super kicks and had some momentum, but Gunther caught it and landed a powerbomb. Tired of what was happening, Michael Cole took off the headset and tried to encourage his colleague. However, it resulted in Cole getting dragged into the ring. As Gunther was about to powerbomb Cole, McAfee kicked him to break it up and nearly got a roll-up pin. Cole tried to hold Gunther’s leg and help McAfee pin him, but he kicked out.
Distracted, Gunther got put in a sleeper hold by McAfee. A tap out looked possible, but Gunther broke it off. He then put McAfee in a sleeper hold, and even though he tried breaking out of it, McAfee passed out and Gunther got the victory.
After the match, Cole helped McAfee to his feet and Gunther stared him down. ‘The Ring General’ gave his respect to McAfee before walking away. Cole and McAfee then hugged before the former NFL punter received applause from the crowd.
Analysis: A match that turned out to be much more entertaining than expected. Gunther winning was inevitable, but McAfee was going to have glimpses of hope during the match. He definitely made the most of it as the WWE commentator does have the skills to hang in the ring with anyone and make it worth watching. Cole getting in the action added another great element to the match and got the crowd more invested, believing a McAfee win was possible. Really exceptional storytelling within a bout.
Gunther wasn’t as brutal as he could’ve been, and the show of respect at the end likely means the two sides can show some sort of respect to each other in the future. So, anytime Gunther comes out, there shouldn’t be any issues. ‘The Ring General’ gets a victory to get back on his feet and get on the path back to glory, while McAfee adds another impressive performance to his wrestling career.
Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta
The crowd was loving both sides as the match began, and there was no real advantage to start with shots coming from both sides. Mysterio continued to show his growth in the ring with an early suicide dive turned into a DDT on Penta. The champion focused on his opponent’s lower body, trying to slow down Penta with some fatigued legs. There was also a nice tribute to Liv Morgan by Mysterio with an ObLIVion on Penta.
Mysterio had all the momentum until Penta recovered for a Mexican Destroyer on Mysterio. With the champion down, The Judgment Day then came out and tried to distract the referee and attack Penta. However, the referee saw it and banned the stable from ringside. While they argued about what happened, Penta launched himself out of the ring to take them out.
Finn Balor didn’t go away easy, and as the referee tried to get him to leave, El Grande Americano snuck out and hit Penta with his loaded mask. It took the challenger out and Mysterio took advantage with a frog splash on the challenger and got the pin to retain.
Analysis: A match that had plenty of potential ends in unspectacular fashion. Mysterio has not only shown growth with the crowd, but he’s become a bonafide WWE superstar, and he came out of the gate and showed he can match up with the skills of Penta. Both of them got chances to show off in what was a very fast-paced start.
The involvement from The Judgment Day was inevitable, but it was refreshing to see them not actually do anything. However, El Grande Americano got in the fold again in what is becoming a very silly plot. While annoying to see the ‘luchador’ be the reason Penta lost, it will actually help with getting Penta off the title chase and give him his first real feud. The two will put on quality matches when they finally meet in the ring. Meanwhile, Mysterio gets to hold onto his gold and awaits a new challenger. Finn Balor doesn’t seem like he will be turning on his stablemate soon, so some fresh face may be the next one to contend.
Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch
From idol to foe, the veteran Lynch had a little showmanship for the champion out of the gate, trying to get in the head of Valkyria. The youngster wasn’t rattled, and she toyed with Lynch by swinging her around and lifting her up in the air for an impressive submission roll. Lynch had an early cut on the elbow.
Even as Lynch tried to play mind games with the champion, Valkyria still showed fight, almost inspired by any words her opponent was throwing at her or her fiancé at ringside. The two traded blows on one of the turnbuckles and Valkyria executed a superplex on the challenger in a hard fall. Valkyria went for a pin and Lynch kicked out.
After getting out of a potential Manhandle Slam, Valkyria tried a flying leg drop and moonsault to finish her opponent, only for Lynch to get her knees up. The two then traded punches and after attempted armbar submissions from both sides, Lynch got the Manhandle Slam and looked to have the title. However, Valkyria kicked out, much to the surprise of the crowd.
A frustrated challenger brought a chair into the ring and tried to hit Valkyria with it before the referee stopped it. Lynch exposed the turnbuckle while the referee wasn’t looking, and later on landed her finisher on Valkyria, but the champion again kicked out. Valkyria turned around and landed Nightwing, but the referee was trying to fix the turnbuckle and didn’t get to the pin in time.
Lynch recovered and tried to get Valkyria to submit, but a flurry of rollups happened and Valkyria ended up on the right side of it to get the victory over Lynch.
Almost as soon as the bell rang, an upset Lynch didn’t rest and she continued to beat down on the champion. She did the Disarm-her as officials came to the ring and tried to stop it. It eventually happened as Lynch strutted her way backstage, but Valkyria got up and was able to raise her hand in victory despite the injured arm and likely injured nose she suffered.
Analysis: If you didn’t expect the Women’s Intercontinental Championship match to be a banger, you should have known better. Lynch showed there’s no rust from her absence in her first singles match in nearly a year, but it was Valkyria that really stood out. She had been needing a signature performance in her title reign, and she made the most of it in what was the biggest match of her career.
There were some missteps and botches in this one, but it didn’t take away from the quality of the match. The two sides were given plenty of time to show off their skills, and Lynch remains a powerhouse while Valkyria gets a quality victory. The after-match tirade from Lynch signifies she isn’t done with Valkyria yet, and Bayley could be coming to the fold soon to aid the champion.
Fatal four-way match for United States Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight
Of course, the rivals in the match started beating up on each other, with Fatu and Knight in the ring and others outside. Knight, the former United States champion, was the one with early momentum, getting strikes in and countering all moves from his foes. McIntyre was next to get the advantage with neck breakers to all three opponents, followed by Priest. The clear goal from the challengers was to limit Fatu from causing the destruction he’s known for.
McIntyre and Fatu shared a tense stare down in the ring, and the champion finally got into his rhythm. He showed off his athleticism, which got the crowd going. However, Knight stopped it with a BFT on the champion. It started a string of finishers between the challengers, and Priest nearly had a pin on Knight before McIntyre broke it off.
All of the stars laid in the ring and McIntyre landed two Future Shock DDTs on Fatu and Knight. He geared up for a Claymore and landed it on Knight. He was set to get the pin but Priest pulled the referee out of the ring before he could finish the count. The heated rivals then battled outside of the ring, essentially taking themselves out of the match. Priest executed a diving South of Heaven chokeslam onto tables in the spot of the match.
With Knight and Fatu essentially the last two stars left, the challenger propped Fatu on the announcer’s table. He was about to leap from the turnbuckle when Solo Sikoa emerged to help his family member. Someone blindsided Knight, and it was Jeff Cobb, the newest WWE signing that unleashed a vicious assault on Knight.
It was easy work for Fatu. He leaped off the top turnbuckle onto Knight and pinned him to retain his title. Fatu walked past Sikoa and Cobb on his way backstage.
Analysis: The dynamic between Sikoa and Fatu gets even more intriguing.
It was all but known Fatu was going to retain given the hot streak he’s been on, but how he held on to his title was unexpected. Cobb made his WWE debut and has aligned himself with Sikoa as another weapon for the former self-proclaimed ‘Tribal Chief.’ Fatu didn’t look all that thrilled with the help, which makes sense since Fatu doesn’t need it with all of the talent he possesses. This pretty much guarantees a split between Fatu and Sikoa is going to happen soon. Sikoa will begin to favor Cobb, which will only make Fatu more frustrated and eventually fracture the relationship.
McIntyre and Priest continued their heated rivalry, and Priest got revenge from WrestleMania by sending his foe through a table outside of the ring. That storyline seems far from over, and one more match will be needed to settle the score. As for Knight, he gets pinned twice in less than a month, and it feels like the title is no longer within reach for him, so he either needs to chase other gold or find another person to feud with.
Jeff Cobb debuts in WWE
Some new help may be on the way for Solo Sikoa.
Jeff Cobb emerged from the crowd to assist Sikoa in beating down LA Knight and helped Jacob Fatu retain his United States Championship.
Cobb is a longtime wrestler that notably spent time in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he won multiple tag team championships and is a one-time NJPW World Television Champion. Cobb also recently spent time in All Elite Wrestling. In April, it was announced Cobb was leaving NJPW, and it had been speculated he’d be headed to WWE.
Now he has arrived, and seems to be a new weapon for Fatu to use.
Who sang national anthem at Backlash?
Pershard Owens, the national anthem singer for the St. Louis Blues, sung the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ in the hockey team’s home arena.
Watch WWE Backlash 2025 kickoff show
When is Backlash 2025?
Backlash is Saturday, May 10.
What time does Backlash 2025 start?
Backlash starts at 7 p.m. ET. The preshow ‘Countdown to WWE Backlash’ begins at 5 p.m. ET.
Where is Backlash 2025?
The 2025 event will take place at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
How to watch Backlash 2025
The event can be streamed on Peacock, but you must have the premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on Netflix in most markets.
Watch WWE’s Backlash with Peacock
How to watch Backlash 2025 preshow
The preshow will be available to watch on Peacock, and on WWE’s social channels, including on YouTube.
Backlash 2025 match card
Matches not in order
Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton
Fatal four-way match for United States Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight
Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta
Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch
Pat McAfee vs. Gunther
Backlash 2025 predictions
Here are predictions for every Backlash match from USA TODAY Sports’ wrestling experts:
Pat McAfee vs. Gunther
Jordan Mendoza: Gunther
Richard Morin: Gunther
James H. Williams: Gunther
Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch
Jordan Mendoza: Lyra Valkyria
Richard Morin: Lyra Valkyria
James H. Williams: Lyra Valkyria
Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta
Jordan Mendoza: Dominik Mysterio
Richard Morin: Dominik Mysterio
James H. Williams: Dominik Mysterio
Fatal four-way match for United States Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight
Jordan Mendoza: Jacob Fatu
Richard Morin: Jacob Fatu
James H. Williams: Jacob Fatu
Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton
Jordan Mendoza: John Cena
Richard Morin: John Cena
James H. Williams: John Cena
To see the full predictions of what could unfold, read here.
WWE Backlash commentators
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett will be on the call Saturday night. Barrett will be filling in for Pat McAfee due to his match against Gunther.
John Cena, Randy Orton meet again
Two future hall of famers in the ring one more time.
After Cena won the title at WrestleMania 41, he detailed his plans to ‘ruin wrestling’ in his final year of in-ring competition at the Raw After WrestleMania. However, he was interrupted by Orton and was dealt an RKO.
The two stars faced off on SmackDown, and Orton scolded Cena for his change in attitude and said he couldn’t let Cena ruin WWE. He challenged the champion to a match, but Cena said it will instead be done at Backlash, since it will be held in St. Louis, Orton’s hometown. Cena then attacked Orton, but ‘The Viper’ countered with an RKO.
It will be the first singles match between Cena and Orton since 2017.
John Cena vs. Randy Orton history
There aren’t many stars that have faced each other as often as Orton and Cena have. They first teamed up together in WWE in 2002, and the two had their first match against each other in 2005. Twenty years later, they’ll meet for the last time.
Saturday will mark the 94th time Cena and Orton will share the ring. In one-on-matches, Cena and Orton have faced each other 21 times. Cena has the edge with a 13-8 record against Orton in singles matches.
The tag team category has been overwhelmingly dominated by Cena, as his side is 28-6 whenever matching up against Orton and other stars. In matches where there’s been multiple wrestlers, they’ve each won six times.
Pat McAfee returns to the ring
The former NFL punter and sports media giant has thrived in the wrestling world, bringing his chaotic energy and fun-loving self as the commentator for WWE Raw. But while he’s great on the headset, he has shown some skill as a wrestler, and he will get a chance to do it again against a very formidable opponent.
Read the full match preview here.