Would A Cena/Orton Two-Man Power Trip Team Have Worked?

[CMWaters]

We all know how WWE over-used Cena/Orton matches in the late 00s and early 10s. To the point where a stare-down in the Royal Rumble got less a reaction than the Cena/Kingston stare-down earlier in the same Rumble.

However, one thing that I noticed that in the very rare occasions it happened, Cena and Orton seemed to gel pretty well as a team (see that Cena/Orton vs. Raw Roster match for example).

Do you think if WWE creative has stuck with it, a longer term pairing of Cena and Orton could have worked? Perhaps this leading to a Cena heel turn with Orton where they start becoming gatekeeper heels against younger rising talent (even if the age difference isn't that great), holding the tag titles and both going for the two world titles at the same time?

It would have been something different for the two, at the very least.

[Fade]

I always liked them working together. I think it was when Cena had to “quit” due to Nexus stuff, and they showed Orton shaking his hand, it gave off real “Superman & Batman showing respect due to their differences” vibes.

They don’t do the “two man power trip” shtick too much though.

[Limity (BLM)]

Mar 4, 2023 13:30:02 GMT -5 Fade said:

I always liked them working together. I think it was when Cena had to “quit” due to Nexus stuff, and they showed Orton shaking his hand, it gave off real “Superman & Batman showing respect due to their differences” vibes.

They don’t do the “two man power trip” shtick too much though.

I missed that, but it sounds interesting. As the OP said, they tried so hard over the years to make them be this era defining rivalry, but it just didn't take. Them being allies in some way could have been interesting.

Hell in the very first SVR game, in the opening cinematic, they teased Cena vs Orton as a big thing.

[CMWaters]

Mar 4, 2023 14:59:25 GMT -5 Limity (BLM) said:

.

Hell in the very first SVR game, in the opening cinematic, they teased Cena vs Orton as a big thing.

Thinking about the time period and game though, how much of that was Cena vs Orton and how much was them representing the brands in the title?

[Chris Hammers]

They did that one "Cena & Orton vs the Raw Roster" Handicap match once and They were dropping everyone with AA in to RKO's. I wanted the tag straps on them immediately.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

I think so. Definitely would've been a lot better and more interesting then them feuding with one another for the 8 billionth time.

[1 Free Moon-Down with Burger]

Mannnn I would’ve loved it. The two of them always showed a spark of chemistry as a team.

I saw this all the time but my all time fantasy time travel booking is a 4 horsemen-esque stable with Cena, Brock, Orton and Batista

[Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story]

I think they genuinely missed out on a moment where Cena's getting his ass handed to him after Orton leaves the ring, then Orton turns around like "well, shit" and goes to save the day. Nexus was probably the moment to do it.

[Mochi Lone Wolf]

No. Austin and Hunter didn't work as a two-man power trip because they had no credible challengers in 2001.


That would have been even more so the case during Cena and Orton's primes.

[Instant Classic]

It worked for Goku and Vegeta.

[coleslaw]

Nexus built up properly would have been pretty sweet

Have this big, bad force so powerful that Cena and Orton have no choice but to team up to stop it.

[Limity (BLM)]

Mar 4, 2023 17:52:58 GMT -5 Mochi Lone Wolf said:

No. Austin and Hunter didn't work as a two-man power trip because they had no credible challengers in 2001.


That would have been even more so the case during Cena and Orton's primes.

Yes they did, they had Kane and Undertaker and Jericho and Benoit.

The crowd reaction to Kane & Taker saving Lita from the Power Trip is probably my single favorite crowd reaction, and shows that they were viewed as credible challengers.

[Jindrak Mark]

The Raw roster handicap match is the most famous example but I also loved the night after Wrestlemania 26 when Cena brought out Orton as his surprise partner against Batista and Swagger. The crowd loved them teaming and they had great chemistry. They really should have had a brief tag run.

[Chiral]

I need to find that YT or FB comment during the Nexus days where it was like "randy u and cena are the only ones who can defeat nexus, you need to f*** and become one"

[Mozenrath]

Yeah, that absolutely would have been a fun team and change of pace. It'd also have kept the two of them prominent while someone else was world champion for a few months or however long.

Also, since WWE did love insisting on them as a big rivalry, it would have actually probably give them a match together with a nice build if they teamed for like 9 months to a year.

[Limity (BLM)]

Mar 4, 2023 15:41:20 GMT -5 CMWaters said:

Mar 4, 2023 14:59:25 GMT -5 Limity (BLM) said:

.

Hell in the very first SVR game, in the opening cinematic, they teased Cena vs Orton as a big thing.

Thinking about the time period and game though, how much of that was Cena vs Orton and how much was them representing the brands in the title?

That's a good point, I think it was a combination of the competing brand gimmick, and that both represented the future of WWE.

[CMWaters]

Mar 4, 2023 19:32:42 GMT -5 Limity (BLM) said:

Mar 4, 2023 17:52:58 GMT -5 Mochi Lone Wolf said:

No. Austin and Hunter didn't work as a two-man power trip because they had no credible challengers in 2001.


That would have been even more so the case during Cena and Orton's primes.

Yes they did, they had Kane and Undertaker and Jericho and Benoit.

The crowd reaction to Kane & Taker saving Lita from the Power Trip is probably my single favorite crowd reaction, and shows that they were viewed as credible challengers.

You mention Lita, Jeff Hardy started to become a main event threat here since he beat Triple H for the IC title.

Sure not entirely clean, but he did do it, so that would have put the Hardys into consideration I'd think.

[Hypnosis]

Mar 4, 2023 19:51:25 GMT -5 Chiral said:

I need to find that YT or FB comment during the Nexus days where it was like "randy u and cena are the only ones who can defeat nexus, you need to f*** and become one"

Orton looks like he's singing to Cena there.

[CMWaters]

Mar 4, 2023 22:15:33 GMT -5 Hypnosis said:

Mar 4, 2023 19:51:25 GMT -5 Chiral said:

I need to find that YT or FB comment during the Nexus days where it was like "randy u and cena are the only ones who can defeat nexus, you need to f*** and become one"

Orton looks like he's singing to Cena there.

Or playing the part of Kane to Cena's Shane McMahon...

[Limity (BLM)]

Mar 4, 2023 20:26:38 GMT -5 CMWaters said:

Mar 4, 2023 19:32:42 GMT -5 Limity (BLM) said:

Yes they did, they had Kane and Undertaker and Jericho and Benoit.

The crowd reaction to Kane & Taker saving Lita from the Power Trip is probably my single favorite crowd reaction, and shows that they were viewed as credible challengers.

You mention Lita, Jeff Hardy started to become a main event threat here since he beat Triple H for the IC title.

Sure not entirely clean, but he did do it, so that would have put the Hardys into consideration I'd think.

That whole evolving storyline was so good. The Hardys were fed to the Power Trip, but in a they look stronger in defeat way. Then you had the only other stars on the same level as Austin and H, Kane and Undertaker, deciding enough was enough. And finally the newer up and coming stars in Jericho and Benoit emerging looking to take down the established top dogs. All woven together leading to some amazing memorable moments. I wish H hadn't gotten injured so we could have seen at least some more of it.

I wonder how Angle could or would have gotten involved with H still being there.