Randy Orton has been absent from WWE TV since May 2022 owing to a back injury. The WWE veteran underwent surgery and is reportedly on the road to recovery. That being said, his return to WWE was only speculative until recently.
It so happens that The Viper was spotted at WWE’s Performance Center. He is supposedly training there for a possible return and even his bus has been seen parked around the center. Fans have taken these clues and built a scenario for his return to WWE SmackDown.
If Randy Orton returns to the blue brand, he doesn’t need to do it alone. Former multi-champion Dave Batista has shown an interest in returning to WWE after Hollywood productions have halted due to the writers’ strike. Furthermore, The Animal has been training quite hard as seen on MMA coach Matt Arroyo’s social media.
If WWE brings the former champions back to Titanland at the same time, The Animal and The Viper can have a big match at Fastlane 2023. Additionally, both John Cena and The Rock have returned to WWE to hype up the crowd following the WWE-UFC merger. To keep up with the rhythm, the wrestling juggernaut can invest in Batista and Orton’s return.
Randy Orton can help a rising superstar upon return
There are several directions that WWE can adopt if Randy Orton comes back to Titanland.
Though reuniting with his former tag team partner Matt Riddle can be one, WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long has another interesting suggestion.
While speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's The Wrestling Time Machine podcast, Teddy Long suggested Orton team up with rising superstar LA Knight to help him reach the top of the mountain.
"Or he could make things happen for LA Knight.”
As of now, only time will tell how the story can move forward considering there are no potential dates revealed for his return.