The “Apex Predator,” Randy Orton, has been fantastic since his return. First and foremost, he looks to be in the best shape of his career. It’s impressive how great he looks and hasn’t lost a step, even though he was off for over a year.
So far, Orton has gone against the top heels on both Raw and SmackDown, even going so far as calling out Roman Reigns. It will provide for a great match, most likely at the Royal Rumble, but where does ‘The Viper’ go from there?
There is little chance he will go over Reigns heading into WrestleMania 40 season, so what options are there? Which wrestler will be the man to go against Randall Keith Orton at WrestleMania? Here are some options.
Drew McIntyre
The Scottish Psychopath is back. Drew McIntyre has returned to the heel persona that made him a star in WWE. His brutality is awesome, and he would be a perfect opponent for Orton come WrestleMania time.
To begin with, there is a ton of history between the two men. When McIntyre was having his run with the WWE Championship, Randy Orton was one of his main adversaries. They had some brutal matches that were the highlights of PLEs. Putting them together again, this time at WrestleMania, would be a great way to pick up their once-hot feud.
Also, switching the heel/face dynamic this time would be a great way to keep things fresh while still calling on their history.
Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens hasn’t exactly been tearing the house down lately. Since he came over to SmackDown, he has been in a serviceable program opposite Austin Theory and Grayson Waller. A program that has been treading water and needs to end quickly. Owens deserves better, and a WrestleMania match with Randy Orton would do the trick.
Owens and Orton do not have a ton of history. This would provide a fresh matchup at the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All’ that fans would be dying to see. The promos would be fantastic, and we have all seen what both men can do when they are invested in a feud.
Lastly, it would be the story of the Stunner vs. the RKO; if you don’t want to see that match, then there is something wrong with you.
Solo Sikoa
Roman Reigns taking on The Viper, presumably at the Royal Rumble, will be a great match, but one that will have Orton staring up at the lights. To keep his aura intact, and because this is how Reigns matches usually go, there is a good chance that outside interference will determine the finish.
The outside interference will, most assuredly, come from Reigns’ compatriot Solo Sikoa. With Reigns moving on to other things at WrestleMania, it would make sense for Orton to seek revenge on the bodyguard of The Bloodline.
A match between Orton and Sikoa would provide a huge rub for the Bloodline member. It would be his first match at WrestleMania and could be a launching pad for bigger things.
Nick Aldis
WWE always likes to run an authority angle, and what better way to get Nick Aldis into the ring than against The Apex Predator?
The two men have already sown the seeds of conflict after Orton signed with SmackDown. After getting an RKO, the General Manager fined Orton. A fine that Orton doubled down on, sending twice the money to Aldis, saying, that’s for the next one. This created tension between the two men, which could start an interesting feud headed into Wrestlemania.
Aldis has yet to perform in WWE, but he is still in great shape, and this could present an intriguing first match for the SmackDown General Manager.
LA Knight
LA Knight has been one of the pleasant surprises of 2023. He has organically gotten over and has been booked well throughout the latter half of the year. He has been featured at the top of the SmackDown card and has formed a tentative partnership with Orton. A partnership that could implode and lead to a fantastic WrestleMania showdown.
Orton has a history of turning on his partners, so why would LA Knight be any different? He wasn’t too keen on defending Knight against a returning AJ Styles, so that could be WWE sewing the seeds of an upcoming feud. It would also be a great rub for the man to go up against a legend like Randy Orton on the Grandest Stage.
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