Randy Orton to announce his retirement; heel turn on his real-life friend? 4 Directions for The Viper following his injury on WWE SmackDown
Randy Orton faced serious consequences during the latest episode of WWE SmackDown when he called out Kevin Owens. The Viper and the Prize Fighter engaged in a heated brawl despite the efforts from officials to break them apart. However, Owens managed to hit a devastating piledriver, leaving Orton unconscious.
This led to immediate medical attention, with Orton being stretchered out and taken to a local medical facility. As of now, WWE has yet to provide an official update on the condition of the Apex Predator.
In this article, we’ll explore four potential directions for Randy Orton following his injury on SmackDown.
#4. Randy Orton might announce retirement as part of the storyline
One possible move for The Viper following this destruction could be announcing his retirement as part of a storyline in WWE. We’ve seen superstars fake their retirements before, with Mark Henry’s retirement stunt being one of the most iconic examples.
In Orton’s case, the Apex Predator might use a retirement angle to get written off television. This would allow WWE to stage Randy’s return monumentally, leaving fans uncertain about whether Orton has truly retired or not.
#3. Orton might return & challenge Kevin Owens for a match
After being off television for one or two weeks, Randy Orton might return to SmackDown and eventually challenge Kevin Owens to a match. Their showdown at Crown Jewel 2024 failed to materialize, as KO attacked Orton before the match even began.
Following the vicious piledriver attack, the Apex Predator could make his comeback within a couple of weeks and lay down a challenge to the Prizefighter for a one-on-one showdown.
#2. The Viper might return to the traditional Men's Royal Rumble match in 2025
Following this injury angle, a return at next year’s 30-man traditional Royal Rumble match could indeed be a strong possibility. The Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is always packed with surprises and major returns.
This makes the return of the Legend Killer in the iconic Rumble match an ideal direction after the notable developments on the recent SmackDown.
#1. Randy Orton could return and turn heel by attacking Cody Rhodes
Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes are real-life friends, which is why The Viper stood against Kevin Owens when he turned on the American Nightmare. However, Orton is never a trustworthy ally and could soon reveal his true colors.
Fans have already speculated that the Legend Killer has his sights set on the Undisputed WWE Title, which currently rests on Rhodes' shoulders. Following the recent events on SmackDown, Randy Orton could take a brief hiatus but return as a villainous star, ultimately betraying Cody Rhodes.
This would set up an Undisputed WWE Championship match between the two, a showdown fans have been eager to see for a long time.