WWE legend Randy Orton is furious with a video clip that is going around on social media.
Randy Orton’s has a unique move-set and it includes RKO which is synonymous with his name. The lightning-fast cutter which he executes out of nowhere, catches his opponents off guard and has won him several championships in his decorated career. He’s hit the move in some of the most unexpected ways on several occasions, scripting iconic moments in WWE.
Orton Responds to the RKO Attacker
A few years back, Orton hitting the RKO became a popular meme on the internet and the fans started dropping hilarious edited clips of him hitting his finisher.
Now, a video has surfaced on Twitter/X which caught the attention of Randy Orton himself and it features a fan hitting RKO on random strangers. In one of the ridiculous developments, the man even executed the move on disabled people.
‘The Viper’ was furious when he took note of the clip and stated that the man needs to be hit with Orton’s popular Punt Kick to the head and should be put in prison for assault.
“Bring the punt kick back and give him a good ol case of CTE ya later plus 5 years in prison for assault.”
Bring the punt kick back and give him a good ol case of CTE ya later plus 5 years in prison for assault. https://t.co/sklLtKhYRU
The Punt Kick reference is related to the devastating finishing move the Viper used during the late 2000’s when he was a ruthless heel establishing himself as the legend we know him as today.
Orton He targeted the head of a grounded opponent and delivered a devastating kick similar to a punt in American football. However, the move was banned due to its high risk of giving the superstars a concussion.
Orton recently competed in the Elimination Chamber match at the namesake premium live event that took place last weekend in Perth, Australia. The match was won by Drew McIntyre who will be challenging Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania 40.
WWE created a lot of momentum for Mania with their Elimination Chamber event. Now, we have two more reported matches coming out of the Australian show.
New WrestleMania 40 Matches
WWE already had four title matches confirmed for WrestleMania 40. With Mania being the next premium live even on the main roster, odds are fans will start seeing the card come together in rapid fashion.
Dave Meltzer reported on his Daily Update that WWE has added LA Knight vs AJ Styles to the Mania card. Also, Logan Paul will defend the US Title against Randy Orton. Both of those matches were set up before the Chamber.
“Coming off the Chamber show, those at WWE have confirmed both bouts, AJ Styles vs. LA Knight and Logan Paul vs. Randy Orton, that yesterday’s show appeared to set up. Both are right now listed for Mania.”
WrestleMania 40 will be a huge two-night event, so we will have many more matches confirmed for the show as we make our way to the extravaganza. Keep checking back with SEScoops for more information, and you can check out the updated card, including these two reported matches, below.
WrestleMania 40 Card:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley: Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch: Singles match for the Women’s World Championship
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Uso vs Jey Uso (reported)
LA Knight vs AJ Styles (reported)
Logan Paul vs Randy Orton for the United States Title (reported)
Randy Orton is motivated by giving back to the wrestling business in the latter stages of his career with WWE.
Orton is one of WWE’s most decorated Superstars, with 14 World Championships, a Grand Slam, and two Royal Rumble victories to his name. The Viper returned to TV at last year’s Survivor Series: WarGames event after a severe back injury nearly ended his wrestling career.
Randy Orton On His Role in WWE
Speaking for his A&E Biography: Legends episode, Orton addressed the importance of giving back to the business that has done so much for him.
“I’d say paying it forward, giving back to the business [is the most important thing to me at this stage of my career.] Just helping out the guys who need the help. When I was coming up, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Triple H, all these guys. They made sure to instill in me as many good habits as they could. Here I am, 20 years later and a lot of things come full circle.”
WWE Superstars on Randy Orton
Borrowing a line from his WWE return promo, Cody Rhodes spoke about his mentor, and how despite Orton often being against authority, he has become a moral compass.
“The path we take to avoid our destiny is often the one that leads us directly to it. I think Randy senses that he is now in a position where he can leave the industry better than he found it.
Cody also recognized the irony of Orton of all people now being a person who is looked to as a leader given his often controversial actions in the past.
For an individual who has [been] so adamantly against rules and structure and management, the irony is that he’s become such a great leader.
Seth Rollins, who was Orton’s first feud after his 2015 WWE World Heavyweight Championship win, was appreciative of all the Viper does.
“He’s really taken on the responsibility of helping out the younger generation.”
The Miz, who defeated Orton in November 2010 to win his first of two WWE Championships, also had praise for the Viper.
“Yeah he’s a locker room leader now [but] he didn’t have to be either. But he took on that role because he cares about this business. And he doesn’t get the credit. He’ll never get the credit that he deserves. Until now hopefully.”
What’s Next?
At last weekend’s WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 event, Orton competed in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match. The Viper was able to eliminate Logan Paul but was attacked by the Maverick with brass knuckles afterward. The match was won by Drew McIntyre. Given what happened in Perth, it has been rumored that Orton and Paul will face off at WrestleMania 40.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Randy Orton was honored to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion at SummerSlam 2004, despite feeling totally unprepared for the responsibility.
In the main event of the event from Toronto, Canada, Orton dethroned Chris Benoit, who had won the title at WrestleMania 20. The win marked Orton’s first of 14 World Championship wins in WWE. At 24 years old, Orton also became the youngest WWE World Champions in history when he captured the title.
Orton On His First World Title Win
Winning a World Championship was a feat for Orton that neither his father nor grand father could lay claim to. In a video previewing his upcoming A&E Biography: Legend documentary, Orton spoke about how it felt to win the title and being able to speak with his family after the match.
“This was the culmination of all this hard work. I knew my father and my grandfather would be watching me, proud of me. I believe Stephanie McMahon gave me her cell phone. She was like ‘Call your dad. Call your grandpa. Talk to them.’ And I’m so glad that she did.
My grandpa, he was only around for a few years after so just hearing his voice, hearing how proud he was of me, you know, that’s a conversation I will never forget.
“Same with my father, I called him next. I’d never heard my old man get choked up. Like, he’s old school to the bone. But he was choked up on the phone that night. So it was a special night.”
Orton’s father, Cowboy Bob Orton, was also interviewed for the documentary and recalled his father’s reaction to his grandson’s huge victory.
“Dad was just beaming. To come up that fast and to learn so much in such a short period of time, [I was] so proud.”
Not Ready to Be Champion
With little more than two years on the main roster, Orton’s thrust to the World Heavyweight Championship picture was rapid, to say the least. In the interview, the Legend Killer recalled the pressure and not being ready to be the top star.
It’s hard to describe the feeling of the responsibility, the amount of awesomeness that comes with holding that belt. I had the title but I didn’t have the maturity. I definitely was not ready. I’m really just sitting on top of the world. I’m making a lot of money for someone my age and I’m living the dream. And I am a cocky son of a b**ch.”
What Came Next?
After retaining the title the next night on Raw against Benoit, Orton was betrayed by Evolution as Triple H wanted to be World Heavyweight Champion again. This led to Orton turning face but he would lose the title to the Game the following month at Unforgiven 2004.
For the use of quotes please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
WWE’s 2024 Elimination Chamber is going down in Perth, Australia on February 24th, and fans will have to wake up early if they want to catch the show. The Chamber event is set to start at 5:00 AM for fans in the East Coast, and we have so much more information about the event in our official rundown. Logan Paul and Randy Orton are set to take part in the Men’s Chamber match, and they’re already having words.
During the company’s Elimination Chamber conference in Perth prior to the big event, Paul and Orton had a little interaction. The Maverick then jumped on Twitter/X to share that video, along with a little comment to poke The Viper.
The Apex Predator saw this, and he responded to say, “You’ll find out tomorrow, Jake.” One would argue that calling Logan his brother’s name wins this little social media battle for Orton.
The Elimination Chamber will set the stage for Seth Rollins’ opponent at WrestleMania. The Messiah is currently nursing an injury, so he’s likely going to stay out of the ring in any singles action until the show of shows.
I previously reported that there was serious talk of LA Knight challenging Logan Paul for the United States Title at WrestleMania, but you also never know if the company will book another multi-challenger match for that secondary title, and Randy Orton would be a prime contender to find a place in that contest.
John Cena recently shocked fans when he opened his first-ever OnlyFans page. That free account is in conjunction with the upcoming Ricky Stanicky movie, which will drop on Amazon Prime on March 7. Now, Randy Orton is commenting on this bold marketing strategy.
Randy Orton Reacts
Although John Cena’s OnlyFans page is a joke account for the Ricky Stanicky movie, it certainly got a lot of attention. When Orton saw that Cena is on OnlyFans now, he had a very clever reaction.
Orton saw Cena’s post, and he had a hilarious answer. He also obviously knows some of the OnlyFans lingo, as he asked the 16x World Champion if he would like to “collab.”
Randy Orton is on the road to WrestleMania 40, even though he doesn’t have a match yet. He may just take a pit stop in order to shoot some content with Cena, but it’s very likely that this was all in good fun, and they’re not serious at all.
In the meantime, John Cena’s WrestleMania hopes for this year are not over. I was able to exclusively report that the 16x World Champion is trying to do something on the grandest stage of them all this year, although nothing is locked in yet.
SEScoops will have more on this story as more information is available.
WWE Superstar Randy Orton believes he’s currently in the prime of his career, even after being in the business for more than two decades.
Randy Orton, one of the greatest superstars in WWE, boasts multiple championships and accolades. As a 14-time world champion, he has cemented his legacy as a mainstay in WWE history. Orton’s unparalleled talent, combined with his ability to evolve with the industry, solidifies his status as one of WWE’s most decorated superstars.
Over the years ‘The Viper’ has dealt with his several injuries which have put him on the shelf for months at a time but made his return every time. However, he underwent back surgery in the summer of 2022 which put his wrestling future up in the air. The procedure was serious enough that retirement seemed to be a possibility. But, he managed to battle through it and made a triumphant return at WWE Survivor Series last year.
Randy Orton: I’m smack-dab in the middle of my prime
Randy Orton recently joined in for an interview with Bleacher Report and spoke about the possibly considering retirement prior to the surgery. MRI results showed that there was an good amount of degeneration in his back as well as stenosis on the lower spine and slipped disc.
He concluded that no shot was going to help him and that spinal fusion was his only option.
Orton also revealed that he dealt with persistent pain after damaging his back in the ring between 2010 and 2020. Here is what he said:
“The surgery was a success. I put on 30 pounds of muscle, purely because of my change in diet and the fact that I was able to train differently and areas I had to leave alone for such a long time. My body really reacted. I feel, at 275 pounds, I’m the weight that I should be, so I feel great now.
I feel like I got a new lease on life that, at 43, I can honestly say I’m smack-dab in the middle of my prime. Some people might roll their eyes at that statement after 24 years in the business, but that’s how I feel. Never in my 30s was I feeling this durable or as pain-free as am I now. I’ve got a new outlook and I don’t want to take a second for granted because I realized how quickly it can all be taken away because it almost was.”
Randy Orton is set to compete against Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Kevin Owens and Logan Paul in the Elimination Chamber match for a World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 40.
The 2024 Elimination Chamber event will take place on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Optus Stadium in the Perth, Australia. The show will start at 5:00 AM EST, and keep an eye on SEScoops for the coverage of the show.
Before making it into the business himself, Randy Orton was a young kid who would follow his father’s career intently. Being at WWF events meant Orton was often surrounded by wrestlers who showed an interest in the future Legend Killer. Speaking to A&E Biography: Legends, Orton recalled being cared for by some of the biggest stars of the time.
“I was fortunate enough to travel with my Pop [WWE Hall of Famer ‘Cowboy’ Bob Orton] now and again… The few times that I did get to go with my father, I’ll never forget. Being in the locker room seeing the bigger-than-life guys walking around.
“These were like my uncles. My dad’s close friends, I was in awe as a child when I did get to go with my dad. They treated me just wonderfully. I was there little buddy.
Orton also recalled that while he was surrounded by wrestlers from inside and outside of his own family, he never saw himself getting in the ring.
“Early on, people would always ask me, kids at school, teachers would ask me ‘Are you going to be a wrestler like your dad?’ But never, ever, was it something that I contemplated because I just didn’t see it in myself to do something like that.”
Cowboy Bob Orton On Young Randy
Randy’s father also weighed in during the sneak preview of A&E Biography: Legends. The 2005 WWE Hall of Fame inductee joked that he was fine leaving Orton in the care of the wrestlers as his matches rarely lasted too long.
“I didn’t take him [Randy] very often unless we were already pretty close to home. But yeah, those guys used to watch him when I was in the ring. So he got to know everybody when he was still pretty young.
“I had no problem, you know, with them watching over him. I knew I wouldn’t be gone too long from Randy. It didn’t take me long to win or lose [laughs.]”
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Randy Orton expressed pride in the way he handled receiving the news of CM Punk’s return, mentioning that the old Orton would have been upset.
When Punk made his return at WWE Survivor Series last year, Orton had just made his comeback himself for his first match following an 18-month recovery from a serious back injury. He participated in the event as part of the WarGames match, teaming up with Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, and Sami Zayn to defeat The Judgement Day and Drew McIntyre’s team.
So when Punk made his return the very same night, it created a clash between two comebacks and overshadowed Orton’s return. Speaking to Justin Barrasso for Sports Illustrated, Orton revealed he was told about Punk’s Survivor Series return the day of the event.
“The day of Survivor Series, I’m about to get my boots on. I’m feeling the nerves, it had been a year-and-a-half. Triple H is like, ‘Hey Randy, I’ve got to talk to you for a second.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, what’s up, man?’ So he told me a couple things. And then he went, ‘One more thing–Punk’s returning tonight.’ I thought he was f—— with me. I said, ‘You’re joking,’ and he was like, ‘No, I’m not. This is something that just happened in the last few days, yada yada yada.’”
Orton admitted that if this were the older, hotheaded version of him, he would have lost his cool upon hearing the news. However, the mature and calmer incarnation of The Viper handled it well and didn’t let it become a problem, even though he was excited about returning to the ring.
“I was so excited for this surprise return. That’s never really been the case. They’ve always kind of stooged off the fact I was returning; they wanted those views. So I’d never had that surprise return.
I could have been really pissed, and old Randy would have been pissed. It was a defining moment for me. I went out there, we had a great WarGames match, everybody was excited that I returned, everybody was excited that Punk returned, and neither return stepped on each other. It was a testament to how much I’d grown. It would have been an issue only if I made it one, so I was proud of the way I handled it.”
While Punk is currently sidelined with an injury, you can catch Orton this Saturday at the men’s Elimination Chamber, set to be held in Perth, Australia.
The allegations against Vince McMahon in Janel Grant’s blockbuster lawsuit sent shockwaves in the pro wrestling business that were so massive that mainstream news outlets picked up on the story. Plenty of people have commented on the matter, and now Randy Orton is speaking out as well.
Orton took a very long break from WWE as he had back fusion surgery. By the time he returned at November 2023’s Survivor Series event, things were very different.
Not only was Matt Riddle, his former partner, released from the company, but TKO was also overseeing the operation. The accusations against Vince McMahon were shocking, and Orton saw the news along with everyone else. It was also incredibly troubling news to read.
While speaking to SI, Randy Orton admitted that he wouldn’t be where he is today without Vince, but those allegations were heartbreaking to read.
“I’ve got to say this–I wouldn’t be where I am without Vince McMahon taking a chance on me a handful of times. I would not be where I am today without Vince McMahon. But, f*ck, I’m reading this sh*t. What you’ve seen and read, I’ve seen and read. As far as commenting on that, it f*cking hurts my heart. It hurts my heart.”
WWE’s New Era
Orton also commented on the new era of WWE, as he said that so much has happened, especially in the months that he was out of action with a back fusion surgery. In that time, WWE saw new ownership and Vince McMahon left, came back, and now he has departed once again.
“So much happened while I was out. When I left, the old guard was still doing its thing. Vince was still around. TV’s were getting rewritten over and over again. The writers were being held up until all hours in the morning. And all that changed.”
“I am excited to work for WWE. Nick Khan is amazing. Triple H being in charge of creative is amazing. I’ve had a relationship with him for over 20 years. I went to his wedding back in ‘03. We’ve been at odds before when I was a f*cked up when I was young, and I won him back. He’s seen me go from an adolescent assh*le prick who didn’t know what I was doing–I was an insecure punk, that’s what I was. I’m the oldest sibling in my family, but he’s like an older brother to me in many ways. He’s always been there and had the best of advice.”
What’s Next for WWE
Randy Orton is still going strong, as he hits another road to WrestleMania. Only time will tell what kind of match The Viper has on the card, but he will certainly give his all on the show of shows this year.
Vince McMahon is gone from WWE, and the company is carrying on without him. Efforts are being made to erase as much of The Chairman from company history, and it’s anyone’s guess if that will ever change.
Bill Simmons’ upcoming six-part docuseries about Vince McMahon will also likely become a breakout success on Netflix. Vince’s story is a troubling tale of success and cutthroat business. The docuseries promised to pull no punches, and it will be interesting to see how this helps WWE RAW’s upcoming Netflix deal.
Seth Rollins sustained a knee injury during his match against Jinder Mahal on the January 15th episode of WWE RAW,. He was then removed from this weekend’s live events, but a replacement was announced. Interestingly enough, that replacement wasn’t present, either.
Randy Orton No-Shows Event
Randy Orton marked his return at the 2023 Survivor Series, as he helped the babyface team win WarGames. Despite being slated to compete at a recent WWE live event, he wasn’t on the show after all.
Randy Orton was advertised to take Seth Rollins’ place in the WWE live events. The Apex Predator’s render took the place of The Visionary’s on the promotion for the show.
Fans were anticipating Orton’s performance, but they were left disappointed when he didn’t show up. One fan noted that they drove hours to see him, as he dropped a disappointed looking video selfie.
The reason behind The Viper’s nonattendance remains unclear, but it’s plausible that the company may have made last-minute adjustments to its plans for the Montgomery event. Either way, that marked another change after Seth Rollins was taken off the card.
Randy Orton has other matters on his plate, as he is set to face AJ Styles, LA Knight, and Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble on January 27th for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. That fatal four-way match could have a very interesting outcome, for sure.
Seth Rollins, on the other hand, will be on WWE RAW this week. He will address his future as World Heavyweight Champion to open the January 22nd episode of WWE RAW.
Orton features as himself in ‘RKO’ the new music video for the track of the same name by Eladio Carrión. The track sees Carrión talk about celebrating his wins to those who doubted him, adding that he caught those haters by surprise like Orton with the RKO.
The Apex Predator appears over halfway through the video and RKO’s a cameraman hoping to snap a picture of Carrión, who in the video is a baseball star. Orton admits to being a huge fan of Carrión. Orton makes it clear that if Eladio Carrión needs anything, he’s ready to help out. You can check Orton’s role in the video below.
The History of the RKO
Orton is hardly the first wrestler to adopt the ‘Cutter’ as his finisher. Variations include the Ace Crusher, which was used by John ‘Johnny Ace’ Lauriniatis. ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page would make opponents feel the bang with the ‘Diamond Cutter’ while ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin would leave opponents decimated with the ‘Stone Cold’ Stunner.
What drove Randy Orton to use the RKO as a finisher…
Randy Orton can be a world title contender at any moment and The Viper will be one of three Royal Rumble weekend, but what about WrestleMania?
Orton will join AJ Styles and LA Knight as challengers for Roman Reigns’ big gold in one of the featured fights. Before that, Orton was a special guest on WWE’s The Bump and was asked about potentially becoming WWE Champion again. This prompted Orton to mention the name of a long-time rival.
“A dream match for me would be to somehow find myself in a situation where I’m fighting Cena at WrestleMania for the title. I don’t know how you get there. I’m not saying it’s gonna happen, but I have never wrestled John at WrestleMania in a singles match. We had some wars back in the day, so being able to revisit that after all this, I think it’s not only something that I would want, I think the fans would eat it up too.”
To Orton’s point, The Apex Predator saw Cena in the ring nearly countless times over a decade ago. The rivalry was taken to the well so many times that it notoriously became a match-up that fans would get sick of.
Cena made his return to WWE over the summer, but Orton and he crossed like two ships in the night as Orton made his return at Survivor Series.
At Royal Rumble, the initial belief was that Orton would likely challenge Roman Reigns one-on-one for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship, but a report from Dave Meltzer stated Styles and Knight were added to the fight in order to prolong that singles fight for a battle down the road.
Please credit The Bump and h/t to Fightful for the transcription.
During an appearance on Signed by Superstars, Matt Riddle discussed WWE’s intentions for him and Randy Orton before his departure. Without providing extensive details, considering the potential for a WWE comeback, the King of Bros mentioned the existence of plans for a storyline featuring a heel turn for one of the RK-Bro team members.
”Plan was — well we were hoping it… I don’t wanna really say how, because if I do return and then we do the story — yeah, I would say eventually all teams eventually turn on each other. I don’t wanna give the spoiler of who was gonna turn on who.”
Riddle and Orton lost the RAW Tag Team Titles to the Usos in a title unification match on May 20th, 2022. Then The Viper needed to take his hiatus for back fusion surgery.
Exclusive Insight Into RKO-Bro’s Breakup Plan
I asked around about this plan for RK-Bro, and I was told that this was actually true. It was always WWE’s intention to break up the team, but they never got to run that angle due to Orton’s back injury.
A tenured member of the creative team told me that, “There was always the plan for Orton to turn on Riddle.” So, the plan was going to see The Apex Predator turn heel on the Original Bro.
Matt Riddle and Randy Orton’s tag team was not intended to be a long-term angle. They were supposed to split after a very short time, as the King of Bros was supposed to eat an RKO outta nowhere and that would be the end of their team. However, they took off in popularity, and Vince McMahon never broke them up for good on television.
I was told several times in the months leading to Randy Orton’s return to the company that an RK-Bro reunion was never discussed. Then, Riddle was released in September, two months prior to Orton’s Survivor Series return on November 25th.
What’s Next For Randy Orton & Matt Riddle
You can never say never about a WWE return for Matt Riddle. CM Punk proved that anyone can come back. Still, Riddle left WWE with a lot of issues, as he had burned all of his chances with upper management who previously stood up for him.
Riddle is now working for MLW and NJPW. He is also taking indie dates, so he will be busy. Of course,
Randy Orton is back in WWE, and in a fatal four-way for the Undisputed Universal Title against Roman Reigns, LA Knight, and AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble on January 27th. The King of Bros may not be at the Royal Rumble event, but odds are he will be cheering on for Randy from home.
WWE released Matt Riddle from his contract in September, and while that was a surprise, many fans are now wondering what could have been. RK-Bro won’t get another run, but there were apparently plans to end their team anyway.
The Rise of RK-Bro in WWE
Randy Orton and Matt Riddle formed an unconventional tag team in 2021. Although Orton tried, Riddle was persistent, and it created some television gold for WWE.
Originally slated to be a very short angle, RK-Bro caught fire. Soon, fans all over were cheering for the team as they carried on their weekly soap opera storyline.
Initially, The Viper and The Original Bro had a dysfunctional dynamic, but their chemistry evolved into a cohesive tag teams. After winning the RAW Tag Team Titles, they had a nice run as champions before losing a title unification match to The Usos, and then Orton took off for 18 months.
Original Plan For RK-Bro’s Breakup
During an appearance on Signed by Superstars, Matt Riddle was asked about WWE’s plans for him and Randy Orton before his release. While being cautious not to divulge too much information, given the possibility of a WWE return, the King of Bros did reveal that there were plans for a storyline involving a heel turn for one of the two members of the RK-Bro team.
”Plan was — well we were hoping it… I don’t wanna really say how, because if I do return and then we do the story — yeah, I would say eventually all teams eventually turn on each other. I don’t wanna give the spoiler of who was gonna turn on who.”
Riddle did not specify who would be turning heel in that scenario. Orton went out of action with a back injury, one that required back fusion surgery; and that injury for the Apex Predator ended the RK-Bro team. So, a heel turn was never needed.
Exclusive Insight into RK-Bro’s Reunion Plans
After Matt Riddle was released, I reached out to inquire about RK-Bro, because I was curious. I was told by members of the creative team that there was never any plan to reunite RK-Bro.
There was never any talk of getting Matt Riddle back together with Randy Orton after The Viper’s return. Of course, Riddle was fired in September, two months prior to Orton’s Survivor Series return, where he snapped that 18-month hiatus from in-ring competition.
WWE had an original plan for Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble, but Chief Content Officer Triple H decided to call an audible.
Royal Rumble will naturally be featuring the two 30-person matches as its cornerstone bouts, but Roman Reigns will have his table full to kick off the road to WrestleManai. Reigns will be putting his WWE Undisputed Universal Championship on the line against AJ Styles, LA Knight and The Apex Predator, Randy Orton.
From a television and speculation perspective, the overall thought was that it would be Randy Orton facing Roman Reigns one-on-one for the gold, but that clearly wasn’t the direction taken.
According to Dave Meltzer on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, the original plan was indeed Orton vs. Reigns, but there were certain parties within WWE that felt that The Viper shouldn’t be taking a loss so soon after making a major return.
By adding AJ Styles and LA Knight to the equation, WWE has more latitude for Reigns to keep his historic championship reign in tact without Randy Orton having to take a pin or submission, even under dubious circumstances. Everybody knows there’s money in in Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton and the company isn’t playing that card just yet.
If one were to put money on who would take the pinfall on Royal Rumble Saturday, the safe bet may likely be AJ Styles considering that LA Knight already took a pinfall loss to Roman at Crown Jewel. Styles just made a return back to the company as well, but Meltzer stated he believes AJ Styles would make the most since to take a loss.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is far from thrilled after his efforts to prevent a challenger for his title backfired immensely on SmackDown.
The January 5, edition of the blue brand was the ‘New Year’s Revolution’ episode of SmackDown and concluded WWE’s stacked first week of programming in 2024. In the main event, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and LA Knight competed with the winner earning an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship opportunity.
Roman Reigns Reacts
Before the match could reach a decisive finish, Roman Reigns and The Bloodline interfered and attacked all three potential challengers. Unhappy with this, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis informed Paul Heyman that Reigns would defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at the Royal Rumble in a fatal four-way match.
Backstage, Heyman was given the daunting task of informing Reigns about the upcoming title match. The Special Counsel was clearly terrified when telling Reigns of what Aldis had told them. Reigns was infuriated but refrained from shouting and simply demanded that Heyman “fix this.”
This match will be the first time in over two years that Reigns has not defended his title in a singles contest. Reigns’ most recent match which saw multiple challengers was at WrestleMania 37 where the Tribal Chief bested Edge and Daniel Bryan. This will be Reigns’ first time defending his title in a fatal four-way match.
WWE Royal Rumble 2024
Reigns’ fatal four-way match will be part of a stacked event on January 27. The show will also feature the two titular Rumble matches. So far, Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Bobby Lashley have been announced for the Men’s Match. Bayley, Nia Jax, Becky Lynch, and Bianca Belair have been announced for the Women’s Match. U.S. Champion Logan Paul will defend against Kevin Owens at the event.
What happened after the New Year’s Revolution edition of SmackDown went off the air? Click here to find out.
MJF could have a career as impactful as Randy Orton if two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is to be believed.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Wrestling Classic, Flair praised the efforts of MJF and compared the AEW World Champion to WWE’s Apex Predator.
“He’s got a great interview, he’s got a great look, he’s worked hard. I think he has the confidence in real life that he portrays on TV and I think the future is unlimited for him. He’s really good. He could be the next Randy Orton. That’s about as high of praise as I can give him.”
Flair also recalled meeting MJF and sharing his positive take on the young wrestler face-to-face, not that the AEW World Champion needed to hear it.
“He’s pretty confident in himself. He doesn’t need a pat on the back and that’s what makes him a little bit different.”
MJF’s next high-profile match will take place this week on AEW Dynamite. During the New Year’s Smash show, MJF and unlikely ally Samoa Joe will defend MJF & Adam Cole’s ROH World Tag Team Championships against two of the Devil’s minions. MJF and Joe will face off at AEW Worlds End with MJF’s AEW World Championship on the line. Current betting odds from Bet Online state that MJF is the favorite to retain in his native Long Island, New York.
CM Punk returned to WWE after nearly a decade away from the company. That Survivor Series return brought Chicago fans to a frenzy, but he wasn’t the only return that night.
Looking Back At CM Punk’s WWE Survivor Series Return
Randy Orton needed back fusion surgery in 2022, a fact that cost him 18 months of in-ring competition. The Apex Predator also returned at Survivor Series, where he helped his team win the WarGames match. Then CM Punk returned to steal the spotlight.
While speaking to Rewind, Recap, Relive, Heath Slater discussed CM Punk’s return to WWE. He saw it as a very cool moment, but he also feels as though it overshadowed Randy Orton’s return to the ring.
“I mean it’s a thing in the wrestling world with the fans and the popularity of it. I mean, it’s a cool moment. Come on, man, it’s been a decade pretty much. It’s a cool moment.”
“Do I wish that they would have done it at WarGames? No, because I feel that Randy should have had a great moment, too.”
“Because Randy is amazing. He’s one of those Hall of Famers, icons, legends. If you sculpt out what a Superstar should be, it’s Randy. I feel like it overshadowed Randy’s moment. But, it was a cool moment, of course.”
“The whole backstage drama BS drama, it’s there. We all know it’s there. How will it be handled now? Who knows? I guess we’ll see. He can burn bridges, but he can re-build them. Who knows? Who the hell knows? For the fans and the people who watch WWE, cool moment.”
Heath Slater went on to say that CM Punk “always stuck with himself a lot,” even as leader of the new Nexus faction. Still, Slater had good things to say about CM Punk’s return to WWE being a cool moment. He might have decided against running that return right after Randy Orton’s first match in 18 months.
CM Punk’s WWE Return So Far
CM Punk’s return to WWE has been a financially successful decision. He is selling a truckload of merchandise, his name is trending, and Warner Bros Discovery may have re-entered the discussion for RAW’s next television deal just because of his return.
The jury is still out on whether CM Punk can avoid those backstage issues that he’s known for. As it stands right now, CM Punk’s homecoming is going just fine.
Randy Orton returned to WWE at Survivor Series, bringing back his old theme song. WWE fans get very attached to entrance music, especially songs with the kind of longevity that Orton’s music possesses. Despite that fact, WWE still considered a change.
WWE Considered Big Change For Randy Orton
Although WWE did consider a change in Randy Orton’s music, they are not going that direction. This will probably make a lot of fans who hate change very happy.
Fightful Select reports that a new theme song for Randy Orton was tested, but the plans for changes in his entrance were subsequently abandoned. At this point, it doesn’t appear that Randy Orton will get new entrance music.
Fightful’s Corey Brennan has learned that with the Randy Orton theme song, they did one play through live in the arena and decided to scrap it.
The original plan was for Randy Orton to debut with his old music, out of familiarity. Then they would transition into a new song. It appears that transition has been nixed.
Cathy Kelley and Kevin Owens have both appeared on WWE programming countless times, and now the pair have their own show.
On YouTube, WWE shared the first episode of the new show, which is yet to receive a name. Naming the show was quite the talking point among the pair with Kelley rejecting Owens’ suggestion of ‘Rising Phoenix.’ Mia Yim, who was nearby also had a less than favorable response to the name. Owens admitted that the name was one of the worst ideas he’s had, and said he was ‘inspired’ by a wall at the arena.
The duo also discussed the Australian-ness of Grayson Waller and the merits of seedless grapes against their seeded equivalents. The pair also discussed the recent return of Randy Orton and while Owens did not hug the Viper, Kelley made sure to give him a warm embrace.
What’s Next?
When not presenting this yet-to-be-named show, Owens can be found competing on WWE SmackDown. The former Universal Champion is currently in the United States Championship Contenders Tournament. Owens defeated Austin Theory in the first round of the tournament, and will face Carmelo Hayes on tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Click here to find out the results of that match and this week’s show that was taped last week. The winner of the tournament will earn a title shot against Logan Paul. The Maverick won the title at WWE Crown Jewel against Rey Mysterio.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan feels Randy Orton fits quite well in the current WWE roster.
WWE roster is stacked with a plethora of talented wrestlers. Several wrestlers have come and gone but ‘The Viper’ is going strong with the younger generation. This has certainly impressed ‘The Hulkster,’ who shares a deep history with the Orton family.
The wrestling icon battled Orton in his final WWE match, which took place at SummerSlam in 2006 and ‘The Apex Predator’ has gone on to mature and become one of the all time greats.
Randy Orton recently returned to WWE following an 18-month absence as he dealt with nagging back injuries. Orton looks to be in great shape and at 43, his wrestling style and approach have changed.
Hulk Hogan talks about Randy Orton’s comeback
Speaking withSports Illustrated, Hulk Hogan opened up on how ‘The Viper’ has changed his wrestling style over the years and has managed to coordinate well with the younger talents.
“Watching Randy now, he fits perfectly. Not only does he adjust to the styles of the young guys, but watch his matches. He slows guys down and teaches them in the match. On the spot, he calls audibles and shows them how to do it. Open my hand, here’s the diamond. He’s transitioned from old school to this hybrid.”
‘The Hulkster’ isn’t in a good shape to make a comeback to the squared circle but he knows who he would wrestle if he ever return. He said:
“If I wasn’t all beat to hell, I’d love to get in the ring with Randy. We could still tear it down in the main event. Randy could call it in the ring, and he could adjust to my style to make sure it worked perfectly. He’s just so good. He can work with veterans and the newer guys, too. He knows how to pivot both ways in the ring. He understands wrestling in a way very few do. That’s why he is making masterpieces in the ring.”
Randy Orton recently competed in the Men’s WarGames match at Survivor Series at the Allstate Arena in Chicago. The multi-time World Champion helped his team comprising Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn to score the win over The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre. Orton is currently aiming retribution on The Bloodline.
Drew McIntyre hasn’t competed for ICW in years but recently gave a message to the promotion. In a video to the Scottish-based promotion, McIntyre reflected on his favorite ICW moments, as the company will no longer be hosting its Fight Club events.
On last week’s SmackDown, Randy Orton made it clear he’s coming for the Bloodline but was in no hurry to get in the ring. During his entrance, WWE cut to a commercial and in off-air footage, fans can see Orton taking his time at ringside while Roman Reigns stands in the ring.
That ad break was so awkwardly placed on Smackdown.
WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle may be a huge name in wrestling, but the Olympian recently went viral as part of a meme. The meme itself shows a frazzled-looking Kurt, which Angle reacted to on his podcast.
“I know that that video you know, it’s kind of a weird-looking face, but for some strange reason everybody caught on and wanted to throw out some memes and I was the butt of the joke, I guess.”
Kurt later joked that he could just get paid to make that facial expression all day. Merchandise of the meme is already available.
The Undertaker Adds Shows
As reported earlier this month, The Undertaker will be heading to Australia next February to host his 1deadMan show. WWE has now confirmed that the Deadman will be hitting three more towns. The Phenom will be appearing in Peth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. WWE will be in Australia in February for the WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth event.
Randy Orton is back on WWE programming, and fans are loving here Rev Theory’s ‘Voices’ once again. Fightful Select reports however that WWE considered ditching the theme and going with a new song for the Viper’s return. While a revamped version of Voices was recently recorded, Orton’s new theme wasn’t going to be that. The former WWE Champion has used Voices since 2008.
New Titles for the Usos
The Usos may no longer be a tag team, but fans will soon have the chance to celebrate the highly-successful duo. This week, WWE shared new custom celebration titles celebrating the record-long title reign of Jimmy and Jey. The pair held the SmackDown Tag Team Championships from Money in the Bank 2021 to WrestleMania 39 in April 2023.
Lexis King is making a name for himself in WWE NXT, but has been in need of a name for his fans. During a Runescape Twitch stream, King recently encouraged his fans not call themselves ‘Registered Lex Offenders.’ On Twitter this week, King promoted his Cameo video to his fans, now dubbed ‘IntelLexuals.’
Tiffany Stratton is quite the blonde bombshell in NXT, and has spoken in the past about being inspired by the liked of Sharpay Evans and Paris Hilton. This week, Hilton performed a Hilton-inspired TikTok which caught the attention of the reality star/heiress. In the comments, Hilton responded saying “Loves it!”
The Judgment Day member JD McDonagh recently recalled being on the wrong end of things as Randy Orton RKO’d off the top of the cage at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023.
RKO remains to be one of the most effective and ever-popular finishers in WWE. Orton refers to it as the three most destructive letters and indeed it has won him several titles during his illustrious career.
Over the years he has hit some picture-perfect RKOs on his opponents. Recently, JD McDonagh got the taste of it when Orton hit the RKO ‘outta nowhere.’
Randy Orton was recently involved in the Men’s WarGames match at Survivor Series at the Allstate Arena in Chicago. ‘The Apex Predator’ returned from injury at the event and guided his team comprising Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn to a win over The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre.
‘The Viper’ showed up when it was nearing the end of the epic clash. However, he made a huge impact and soon changed the complexion of the match. During the match, Rollins and Zayn launched McDonagh off the top of the steel cage. In a breathtaking moment, Randy Orton hit The Judgment Day member with a spectacular RKO.
While speaking with Alex McCarthy of Daily Mail, McDonagh shared his thoughts on the high-risk spot during the WarGames Match. He said that he had other ideas in mind instead of the RKO spot. However, he did want to create the ‘moment of the match.’
“I knew I was going to be involved in the moment of the match, I was going to make something happen. I am that kind of person. So I came out on the wrong side of it, you know, ideally, I think I would have liked to moon sault off the top and wipe out everybody and stand in the middle, triumphant, but the Viper got me. He’s quick, you know, he is quick, he is quick.”
On this week’s edition of Monday Night Raw, JD McDonagh teamed up with Judgment Day stablemate Dominik Mysterio and faced The Creed Brothers in a losing effort.
