[2009-09-13-WWE-Breaking Point] John Cena vs Randy Orton ('I Quit')

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWE Champion Randy Orton vs John Cena - Breaking Point I Quit Match

 

At first, I was like what is the big deal this is just the usual John Cena vs Randy Orton match. Then Orton started stomping Cena's head on the steel steps. I was like that is pretty violent. Then Orton busted out the handcuffs and cuffed him to the ropes. Well that's definitely escalating thing. Then he hung him up on the post and the match got good, real good. This is the WWE at its cinematographic best. Orton pouring water on Cena so he doesn't pass out. A defiant Cena spitting the water back in Orton's face when he asks him if he quits. Orton whacking Cena as hard as he can with Singapore Canes to the exposed ribs leaving some of the nastiest cuts and bruises on Cena's body. Cena punting him in the balls. This was just great, over the top action movie ass kicking. The verbal selling of Cena was off the charts great in this match. His facial expressions too really captured the agony and helplessness of the situation. Orton did a great job writhing in pain after the ballshot. Orton gets a chair shot to the head and then another one. The way Cena flexes his entire body from the body almost like he is being electrocuted has to go down as one of the single greatest moments of selling in wrestling history. Orton misses with a chair shot and Cena knocks him down. He has the key. Cena cuffs Orton to himself meaning Orton has nowhere to run, nowhere to hide! CENA UNLEASHES THE FURY! We are talking some Jerry Lawler shit right now. WHERE HAS THIS CENA BEEN! These big hammock rights and all the energy this is what Cena should be. Orton does get an RKo as his last gasp. Then he tries to drag Cena to the key. Great drama here with the crowd finally coming alive. Cena ends up overpowering him and wrapping the chain around him such that in the STFU Orton is basically choking himself out. Orton says I Quit!

 

Beginning of the match being very pedestrian & run of the mill means this is not *****. I thought the finish was good, but could have been great if the metal of the cuff was around Orton's mouth but that's a nitpick. Now let me gush. Cena's selling was truly special. You could argue that he was not selling those Cane shots because they were a fucking shoot. Holy shit! I think the crowd was not reacting because this was not a conventional wrestling match with spots. It was closer to an action movie torture scene. Where Orton had Cena totally helpless and was just torturing him to get him to say I Quit, to break his spirit and rob Cena of his pride. Cena NEVER GIVES UP! They came up with a good way to get Cena the keys and then Cena just DESTROYED Orton! Really unique presentation until pretty much any wrestling match I have ever seen. Kudos! ****1/2

[squidlad]

I don't understand the hype for this match at all. Eighty per cent of it is Randy Orton slowly working over a handcuffed John Cena. The possibility of Cena ever saying 'I quit' are zero so there's only one way the match will ever end. Handcuffs are one of the most ill advised props in professional wrestling because they're awkward to get on plus off and are often illogical in how they are used. Here Randy cuffs one of Cena's arms to the top rope, which is fine. Later though, he frees his trapped opponent so he can drape Cena's cuffed arms over the ring post and beat him with a kendo stick. Why? He could have done that when Cena was cuffed to the rope. Yes it's a better visual but it also makes less sense. 

The finale of the match involves a fight over the handcuffs and Cena choking Orton with the metal chain. I was quite sick of the handcuffs by this point as they had been the focal point of almost the entire match. This was another not-great match between two wrestlers who had no chemistry and yet were matched together many times. ** 1/2