Randy Orton seems like he's on his way back to WWE, having recently been spotted entering the Performance Center. It's now a question of when and how The Viper will return to television.
For the longest time, it seemed like Orton would re-form RK-Bro alongside Matt Riddle. That was the last thing he did in WWE before going on hiatus to fix his back injury. The Original Bro is, however, no longer with the company. His sudden release took the wrestling world by surprise.
As a result, if Randy Orton was indeed supposed to reunite with Riddle upon his comeback, WWE would have to change their plans. He could instead have a short-lived reunion with another close friend, Cody Rhodes. The two were part of the same stable, Legacy, over a decade ago. They have both grown as performers and people since then.
Matt Riddle was making Randy Orton fight for his life everytime 😂
— Wrestling Pics & Clips (@WrestleClips) September 22, 2023
We will miss RK-Bro 🥺 pic.twitter.com/InhG0tdWQG
But how does Orton and Rhodes teaming up make sense? This can happen, thanks to Drew McIntyre's inevitable heel turn. The Scottish Warrior was initially in a tag team with Matt Riddle, with the likely destination being a betrayal. It would have led to an opening for The Viper to return and help his former partner.
Now, with Riddle out of the picture, McIntyre may turn heel on Cody Rhodes. The signs are there. As a result, Randy Orton could help The American Nightmare out for a while before he himself turns heel. A full-blown feud between the two sounds exciting.
Randy Orton could be Cody Rhodes' next big "hurdle" before he "finishes the story"
WrestleMania 40 could be the setting of Cody's ultimate triumph. As long as The Rock doesn't return for one more match, The American Nightmare will likely win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship from Roman Reigns in Philadelphia.
Cody Rhodes will have earned his rematch after months of grueling action to get back to the world title scene. He has feuded with Brock Lesnar and is loosely involved with The Judgment Day. A brief program with Drew McIntyre is expected, but a longer one with Randy Orton would do wonders for the former AEW star.
Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton is the match I want to see the most when Orton returns.
— ChanMan (@ChandranTheMan) September 22, 2023
They have excellent chemistry together! pic.twitter.com/seXSxzP1fu
The two have a lot of history in WWE as part of the aforementioned Legacy stable. The Viper was also Rhodes' first-ever opponent in 2007. They've feuded since then, but Cody has stepped up multiple levels since returning in 2022.