Randy Orton Failed Drug Test Mentioned Before WWE Backlash 2025

A WWE drug test failed by Randy Orton many years ago was referenced ahead of his main event match with John Cena at Backlash 2025.

For one final time, Orton and Cena will go one-on-one as Cena defends the Undisputed WWE Championship in Orton’s hometown of St Louis.

During the pre-Backlash episode of SmackDown, the last segment of the show featured John Cena in the ring and on the mic, running Orton down.

One of the lines used by Cena was a reference to a WWE drug test failed by Orton in 2006. Cena said:

“After Backlash, Randy Orton will be just like his 2006 drug test… a failure!”

At the end of the segment, a stunt double of Orton, who was clearly smaller than the real Orton, got in the ring and tried to RKO Cena, only for Cena to counter and land an Attitude Adjustment.

However, the real Randy Orton then appeared behind Cena and did connect with an RKO, standing tall with the Undisputed WWE Championship belt as the show went off the air.

The stand-in Randy Orton was NXT star Shawn Spears, as seen by the matching tattoos and a glimpse at his face.