5 things Randy Orton should do on WWE RAW (August 12, 2024) - Surprise attack on major star, mind games with Gunther & more
Randy Orton made a surprising appearance last Monday night on WWE RAW to confront a major star. He interrupted World Heavyweight Champion Gunther during the opening segment of the show and noted that The Ring General had a controversial victory over him in the finals of the King of the Ring Tournament.
As a result of winning the tournament, Gunther earned a title shot and became the new World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Damian Priest at SummerSlam. The leader of Imperium agreed to defend the title against Randy Orton at Bash in Berlin on August 31. It has been announced that Orton will be making an appearance during tomorrow night's RAW in Texas.
Listed below are five things Randy Orton should do on this week's episode of WWE RAW.
#5. Randy Orton could play mind games with Gunther on WWE RAW
Gunther is used to intimidating his opponents, but will likely not work against Randy Orton. However, The Viper could use his experience to get under the World Heavyweight Champions' skin ahead of the WWE Bash in Berlin at the end of the month.
Orton could continue to interrupt the 36-year-old every time he attempts to cut a promo as champion. He could bring up the controversial finish at King of the Ring several times and question if Gunther really has what it takes to beat him. This could potentially lead to the champion being less confident at Bash in Berlin.
#4. Randy Orton could claim Cody Rhodes is a better champion
Randy Orton has spent the past few months helping Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes in his rivalry against The Bloodline on WWE SmackDown. Gunther is likely not a fan of The American Nightmare, as the SmackDown star has eliminated him from the past two Men's Royal Rumble matches.
Orton could make the rivalry personal by claiming Gunther does not deserve to be champion as much as Cody Rhodes. The Viper may point out that the leader of Imperium had to rely on interference from Finn Balor to defeat Damian Priest, while Rhodes dethroned The Tribal Chief to become champion.
#3. The Legend Killer could attack Ludwig Kaiser
Ludwig Kaiser missed over a month of action with a broken rib before his return to the ring this past Monday night on RAW. He battled Sheamus in a singles match, but The Celtic Warrior was able to pick up the victory.
Orton could be planning on attacking Kaiser on RAW to eliminate him from the equation. Gunther would then be on his own during the rivalry and would not be able to rely on his Imperium stablemate for help.
#2. Randy Orton could ask Adam Pearce to trade for him
Randy Orton returned to the promotion at Survivor Series 2023 and was determined to get revenge on The Bloodline. He battled for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 2024 in a Fatal Four-Way match but Roman Reigns emerged victorious. The veteran has had issues with the new version of The Bloodline on SmackDown, but could be looking for a fresh start.
Orton may decide to ask RAW General Manager Adam Pearce to trade for him during tomorrow night's edition of the red brand. This would allow for the 14-time World Champion to be separated from The Bloodline storyline on SmackDown and focus on becoming champion once again.
#1. He could ask Sami Zayn for tips on how to defeat Gunther
Sami Zayn pulled off a massive upset earlier this year at WWE WrestleMania XL. He defeated Gunther to capture the Intercontinental Championship and put an end to the RAW star's reign after holding the title for 666 days. However, Zayn's title reign was short-lived as he was defeated by Bron Breakker at SummerSlam.
Randy Orton could have a backstage discussion with Zayn in the weeks ahead on RAW ahead of his title match at Bash in Berlin. The 40-year-old may have some advice to give The Apex Predator on how to dethrone Gunther at the premium live event.