WWE News: Randy Orton talks up Brock Lesnar ahead of SummerSlam bout
Randy Orton was announced before Battleground to be the opponent of The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. In the build up to SummerSlam, it was speculated whether either of the championship matches or the bout between Orton and Lesnar will be the main event at the pay-per-view. However, it has now been confirmed by Randy Orton himself that his bout against Lesnar will indeed be the main event of Summerslam.
Orton has faced Lesnar only once about 14 years ago on an episode of SmackDown when he was simply a rookie. Naturally, the match ended pretty quickly in favour of Lesnar, who was receiving a mega push at the time. Despite the match being in 2002, the match is being billed as “15 years in the making”.
Randy Orton was having a lackluster babyface run last year when he got injured and was sidelined October onwards. He was injured for around 9 months and made a triumphant return at Battleground. He was also drafted to Smackdown Live.
He has since gotten back to the ring, facing The Miz , Fandango, Alberto Del Rio and Heath Slater since, all in successful efforts, albeit two were via disqualification. However, he has gotten much praise from the fans during his return run, after being criticised in the past for being a stale babyface. This run, so far, has been quite the contrary.
Even after the feud with Lesnar, it was expected that Orton would go on to feud with AJ Styles, but if the events in Smackdown Live have shown anything, it is that a feud between Orton and Bray Wyatt has been teased. It is a very interesting feud, as Bray Wyatt is being established as one of the top heels of Smackdown Live, while Orton is being positioned to be the top babyface of Smackdown Live along with Ambrose since Cena will be taking a two-month hiatus after Summerslam.
Orton said that the reason he's never crossed paths with Lesnar is because Lesnar “took off”. Orton admitted that Lesnar was very successful in UFC, and said that he's coming back from an injury and wants to face the biggest guy in the yard. He added that he's fully aware that he's going to Suplex City, but he's feeling good and as long as he can survive 20 suplexes, he can hit one RKO and it's done.