5 Directions for WWE Superstar Randy Orton when he makes his return: Feud with an iconic faction, a shocking betrayal, and more
Randy Orton is widely regarded as a legend in WWE and also 'The Legend Killer.' He has been on the company's main roster for over twenty years now after making his debut in 2002. During that time, he has captured over a dozen world championships. He's also held other significant titles, won the Royal Rumble, and has numerous other feathers to his cap.
Unfortunately, The Viper hasn't been on television for a while. In fact, he hasn't contested a match in nearly two months. This is due to a shoulder injury that allegedly may keep him out of action for the foreseeable future.
Randy's RK-Bro teammate Riddle keeps the former relevant by mentioning him on weekly television and using some of his iconic moves. Still, fans of The Viper are desperately hoping for a return. If the veteran does return, there are quite a few different directions his career may go in.
Below are five potential directions for Randy Orton when he makes his WWE return:
#5. Randy Orton could reunite with Riddle
The route most fans will likely want Orton to take upon returning is for him to reunite with Riddle. The Viper and Riddle collectively made up RK-Bro, a tag team nobody saw coming.
Despite being an unusual pair, they successfully won the RAW Tag Team Championship. The pair regularly had excellent matches with The Usos, The Street Profits, and the Alpha Academy.
If the pair reunite when Orton returns, winning the tag titles will likely become their goal again. The Usos are the current unified WWE Tag Team Champions, but they may not hold their belts for long.
The twins will be taking on The Street Profits at SummerSlam. With the Profits' momentum, they may very well win the unified belts. RK-Bro could pose a threat to whatever tandem that holds the gold in the future.
#4. He could turn on his friend and tag team partner
While there's a chance that RK-Bro will reunite and the fans will see them live happily-ever-after, that may not be what happens upon Orton's return. Randy was nicknamed The Viper for a reason as he can strike an unsuspecting victim out of nowhere, friend or foe.
Riddle may be one exception to his history of betraying friends and teammates. He has been thus far, despite everybody expecting the pair to clash. From the outset, nobody expected The Original Bro's personality to mesh well with somebody like The Legend Killer. Somehow, they've managed to make it work.
However, Orton might still grow tired of Riddle at some stage. When he does, he can snap and hit The Original Bro with an RKO. This could very well be the direction for The Viper when he returns. While many hearts would be broken in the process, a feud between the two would be truly excellent. Their matches are expected to deliver, and fans will absolutely want to see what happens next.
#3. Orton could move to SmackDown
The Viper is currently a member of the WWE RAW roster. He has been a member of the red brand since being drafted from WWE SmackDown in 2019. Three years with one brand is a considerable amount of time.
With his star power and notoriety, it is likely that both the brands would want him on their show. It's possible that when Randy Orton does return to action, he may move to Friday Night SmackDown.
If he does, there will be many exciting match-ups waiting for him. He hasn't had much or any interaction with the likes of Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Madcap Moss, and Maximum Male Models. He could also have fantastic bouts with Sami Zayn, Ricochet, Roman Reigns, or The Brawling Brutes.
#2. He could challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
WWE revealed that Roman Reigns would defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. The major bout will be a Last Man Standing match.
Either man could walk away from the contest as champion. There's also a chance that neither star does. Theory is currently Mr. Money in the Bank, and he can use his briefcase to secure a guaranteed title match at any point. Any of the three superstars can walk away from SummerSlam with the gold.
Regardless of who walks away as champion, Randy Orton could be planning to fight whoever holds the title. He is a 14-time world champion. All three superstars are likely aware that he would want to win the title and make that number 15. If he does, he will have the third-most world title reigns in the company's history. He's currently tied with Triple H at 14, while John Cena and Ric Flair have 16 each.
#1. Randy Orton could target The Bloodline
While the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship may be his goal, Randy Orton may want to focus on something a bit more personal. That is his rivalry with The Bloodline.
Before Orton's injury, RK-Bro was feuding with Jimmy and Jey Uso. The popular twin tandem is part of Roman Reigns' The Bloodline faction. In fact, The Usos defeated RK-Bro to unify the tag team titles.
Many were under the impression that Roman Reigns would have a short feud with Riddle, which would then transition to a significant match against Randy Orton at SummerSlam. Unfortunately, due to The Viper's injury, that wasn't possible.
When Randy returns to action, he may be targeting everybody in The Bloodline. WWE can spin Orton's injury and pin it on Roman and his cousins. Randy hunting them down one-by-one, culminating in a significant bout with The Tribal Chief at a premium live event, could make for great television.
When will Randy Orton return to action? For now, that remains a mystery. Regardless, the former world champion has carved out an impressive legacy for himself over the past two decades. He's unquestionably a future WWE Hall of Famer.
Speaking of future Hall of Famers, click here for five possible directions for Asuka heading into SummerSlam.