MEMPHIS, Tenn. – When an enraged John Cena warned everyone that his Unforgiven showdown with Randy Orton was personal and was not about the WWE Championship, the Legend Killer thought he had the title all sewn up. After all, in Orton’s eyes, Cena had fallen into his trap. Orton thought he had infuriated The Champ so much after he attacked his father, that he would easily make a mistake at Unforgiven and lose his WWE Championship.

But the third-generation Superstar didn’t count on two things: The re-emergence of Cena’s dad and the WWE Champion getting disqualified.

Neither Cena nor his dad could contain their rage at Orton Sunday night at Unforgiven. Orton’s mind games on The Champ seemed to backfire. Perhaps he was stunned when he saw the elder Cena at ringside for the match, or maybe he saw an opportunity to play more mind games with The Champ. But when he began to confront Cena’s father, Cena marched to the ring, snorting like a bull. He never took his eyes off Orton. Meanwhile, Cena's dad, sporting a scar above his left eye, sneered at Orton and never took his eyes off him, either.

After the opening bell rang, weeks of pent-up rage erupted. There was nothing referee Mike Chioda could do to control these two gladiators, especially Cena.

Our fans at the FedEx Forum roared as both Superstars ripped, scratched and hammered at each other. It seemed that neither one of them noticed the thousands of onlookers surrounding them. A wild-eyed, snorting Cena saw only Orton, reliving his attack on his father from several weeks ago. Orton, meanwhile, seemed to be mostly on the defensive. He was not only fighting for survival, but looking for a key opening where he could strike Cena down and leave him lying for a fateful three-count.

But to Orton’s chagrin, that never happened. And Cena was determined to beat some revenge out of Orton. But The Champ lost control and refused to stop whaling on Orton, brushing Chioda away and causing his disqualification.

However, Orton then did the inconceivable — he went after the elder Cena again. But history would not repeat itself as Cena trapped him in an STFU and pulled on Orton until the veins in his head bulged and his face turned a shade of purple. He held Orton as his dad gave the Legend Killer a taste of his own medicine with a punt to his skull.

For the first time in weeks, a smile crossed The Champ’s face. And perhaps Orton’s other victims, Shawn Michaels and Dusty Rhodes, were also smiling somewhere. Orton lay motionless as Cena and his father hugged each other. For one night, the Legend Killer was fed a healthy dose of retribution – and he didn’t like the taste.

And neither did Acting Raw GM Jonathan Coachman. The head of Raw was outraged over The Champ's behavior and the elder Cena's attack on Orton. He believed that Cena got himself purposely disqualified and set up a Last Man Standing Match between these two hated rivals at No Mercy on Oct. 7.

Orton has one more opportunity at the WWE Championship next month. But he learned one thing Sunday night at Unforgiven – don't mess with the Cenas.

Check out Orton's Skull T-shirt...