Randy Orton has made the undisputed WWE champion look like a chump every week. Friday's episode of SmackDown was no different. Orton slithered into striking range and laid out John Cena with one more RKO before their match at Backlash.

Tonight, Orton stood tall for the third time after yet another RKO on the champion, setting the stage for "The Viper's" homecoming in St. Louis tomorrow. This closing segment of "WWE SmackDown" was mainly just a Cena promo — he told the audience our childhoods will die at Backlash. Also, a fan threw a Michelob Ultra bottle at him.

WWE SmackDown on May 9, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio, was the go-home episode for Backlash. Check out the top takeaways from the show.