Randy Orton's last-minute WarGames appearance was done before by 39-year-old SmackDown star
Randy Orton's appearance at the Survivor Series WarGames 2023 was as last-minute as it could get. Not only were his teammates all down, but Damian Priest was on the verge of cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase. However, Orton's last-minute appearance was done before by another SmackDown Superstar who he has wrestled with before.
It was done by Kevin Owens a few months before the pandemic began. As you may know, before Triple H brought WarGames to Survivor Series and the main roster, it was a staple of NXT.
In 2019, Tommaso Ciampa led his team, comprising Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic, against The Undisputed Era in a WarGames Match. There was a mystery member who was revealed at the last minute to be Kevin Owens, who entered in much of the same fashion that Randy Orton did this year.
You can watch the clip below:
In both cases, they were the difference makers. Owens went on to help Team Ciampa defeat The Undisputed Era, while Randy Orton helped his team defeat The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre. Moreover, Rhea Ripley's expression to his return told the whole story.
The Viper's return was undoubtedly a bit overshadowed by that of CM Punk, who made a last-second appearance just as Survivor Series 2023 was going off the air.
What were your reactions after watching Randy Orton and CM Punk return to WWE? Sound off in the comments section below!