#4. Randy Orton
Randy Orton is one of the most recognizable and revered figures in pro wrestling today. A 14-time World Champion and 2-time Royal Rumble winner, Orton is also among the most celebrated stars in WWE history. However, he has been misutilized since his return at Survivor Series 2023, and 2025 was no different.
The year started well as Orton continued his blood feud with Kevin Owens. Unfortunately, KO suffered an untimely neck injury, and their WrestleMania clash was canceled. Joe Hendry ended up being the Viper’s mystery opponent at The Show of Shows. While it was an entertaining segment, there was nothing particularly memorable about Orton’s outing at Mania.
The Viper then clashed with a heel John Cena at Backlash in St. Louis. The match was pretty good, but the ending was overbooked with R Truth’s interference, leading to a dirty Cena victory. Orton’s losing ways would continue as he lost in the King of the Ring finals to his protege, Cody Rhodes.
Over the summer, the 14-time World Champion was embroiled in a meaningless celebrity feud. At SummerSlam, Orton and his partner, Jelly Roll, lost to Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre. This was the last time the Apex Predator competed at a PLE, as he missed out on the previous 4 PLEs of the WWE calendar.
Orton still has a lot to offer in the ring. There is a ready-made feud with Cody Rhodes waiting for the WWE legend, but Triple H never delivered on the teases. 2025 was arguably one of his most underwhelming years as a pro wrestler.
