WWE RAW Flops and Hits: Randy Orton returns and betrays Riddle, 2-time world champion exposed, ‘Elias is dead’ (9th August, 2021)
WWE RAW delivered a decent episode this week. The show had a lot of positives that included jaw-dropping swerves, big returns, and much-anticipated redemptions. Despite a couple of drawbacks, tonight’s episode was uncharacteristically entertaining.
Here, we will look at the flops and hits from WWE RAW this week. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#6 Hit on WWE RAW: Randy Orton makes a huge return
Randy Orton returned on WWE RAW after almost two months. We last saw The Viper when he lost a crucial MITB qualifier because of Riddle’s interference. That didn’t stop The Original Bro from rushing to the ring when he saw that his tag team partner is back on the Red brand. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm met with Orton’s cold demeanor, who shockingly said that both he and Riddle don’t need to work together as a tag team.
They were soon interrupted by AJ Styles and Omos, and all four superstars were involved in a brief altercation. It led to a match being booked between Styles and Orton later in the night. Riddle repeatedly asked the latter if he could accompany him to the ring, but The Viper denied his request. He believed that he could fight and win all by himself on the Red brand.
Styles and Orton then faced each other in an engaging encounter in the main event. Both superstars were equally dominant and crafted excellent attacks throughout the bout. Orton delivered a draping DDT from the second rope to keep Styles from moving. He then prepared for an RKO, but Omos removed his partner from harm’s way.
Omos’ interference caused Riddle to rush to the ringside during the main event on WWE RAW. He took the giant out of the equation while Styles prepared for a Phenomenal Forearm. He even jumped off the top rope, but Orton caught him mid-air and brought down his opponent with a devastating RKO. He then pinned to pick up a win over one-half of WWE RAW Tag Team Champions.
End of RK-Bro?
After the match, Orton was angry because Riddle didn’t follow his instructions, while the latter argued that they are great as a tag team. Both superstars eventually hugged and celebrated with the fans. However, things quickly took a shocking turn when Randy Orton hit The Original Bro with an RKO and sat next to his ‘tag team partner’ with an evil grin.
It was typical of Randy Orton to betray Riddle, and it came across as a huge swerve. Maybe that is one of the reasons why Orton is considered a legendary performer in the business. However, one can’t help but wonder if it was too soon to end the RK-Bro? Their alliance was one of the most entertaining things we have seen on the Red brand in a while.
After the show went off the air, John Cena walked towards the ring. He then got Orton and Riddle to hug once again, and the events implied that The Viper’s RKO might not lead to RK-Bro’s split after all. Are there more surprises in store?