What happened when John Cena met Randy Orton for the first time on WWE TV?

John Cena and Randy Orton's very first encounter on WWE TV happened at SummerSlam 2004.

By the time the event came around, both Cena and Orton had established themselves as legit popular mid-card acts. At the show, Cena met Booker T in what was the first in a "Best of Five Series" for the United States Championship. On the same night, Orton met Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Title in the main event.

During the event, Orton was interviewed backstage. The young gun didn't hold back while talking about how he was going to ascend to greatness by defeating Benoit.

John Cena appeared out of the blue, much to the annoyance of Orton. The former said that he was a fan of Orton and asked the live crowd if they liked him as well. The reaction was mixed at best, and Orton wasn't one bit happy.

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John Cena and Randy Orton would go on to headline SummerSlam three years later

Three years after their first encounter on WWE TV, Randy Orton, and Cena met in the main event of SummerSlam 2007. By this time, both men had firmly placed themselves on the main roster as main-event caliber superstars. At the event, Cena defeated Orton to retain his WWE Title.

In real-life, Cena and Orton have been the best of friends for a long time now. Here's what Cena said about Orton when the latter completed 20 years as a WWE Superstar:

"For 20 years @RandyOrton has cemented his legacy as 1 of the greatest @WWE Superstars ever. I have the utmost respect for every achievement he's earned & CONTINUES to earn. But my genuine love & admiration for him is in his maturity & growth as a human being. Here's to RKO! [tumbler glass emoji]," Cena wrote.

A large majority of fans consider Cena vs. Orton to be one of the greatest WWE feuds of all time. The two legends have faced off on countless occasions in the ring and are guaranteed future Hall of Famers.

Who's your favorite WWE legend between John Cena and Randy Orton? Sound off in the comments below.