With an over twenty-year career, there’s not a lot that Randy Orton hasn’t done. He’s won the WWE Championship ten times and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship four times. His longevity has spanned multiple generations of wrestlers.
However, what he did on the March 13, 2026, episode of Friday Night SmackDown might’ve been one of the worst things he did on television. He turned heel for the first time in five years, attacking Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes during their WrestleMania: Vegas contract signing.
His attack left him bloodied and beaten after bashing him with the steel steps. After taking in the attack, Monday Night Raw announcer Michael Cole attempted to interview him on the March 16 Raw. But before that, he ended a call with an unknown person who watched him on Friday. Who was that mystery person, and when will he be revealed?
The Rock Will Make His Return to Help Orton
Two years ago, the Rock made his shocking return to WWE in a huge way. He was part of an immense storyline involving then Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and Seth Rollins. Words were exchanged, actions were taken, and Rhodes dethroned Reigns at WrestleMania XL.
In between that time, though, was a lot of bad blood between the Rock and Rhodes. At Elimination Chamber the following year, the two men once again met up under tense circumstances.
Their encounter ended with John Cena turning heel and attacking Rhodes. Two times in the past three years, we’ve seen the Rock and his friends attacking a defenseless Rhodes. With things still not resolved, it’s not unreasonable for him to be the guy who answered Orton’s phone call. If he gets another opportunity to ruin things for him, there’s no question he’ll be there to back up Orton.
Kevin Owens Will Make an Epic Comeback
Last year’s Elimination Chamber was not only the place of Cena’s heel turn, but it was also Owens’s last match. After a great start to 2025, including antagonizing Rhodes and building up an amazing unsanctioned match against Sami Zayn, he received some crushing news. He needed neck surgery ahead of a potential WrestleMania 41 match against Orton, and he hasn’t been in the ring since.
Even though they were scheduled for a match, there have been tons of positive histories between the two men. Owens also has a close relationship with Zayn, whom Rhodes has been insulting over the past couple of weeks. Even though they have a very up-and-down friendship, the two men always defend each other whenever it is needed.
Returning to do just that after over a year away would be something Rhodes will never see coming, which could give Orton a huge advantage.
Who Will Be the Biggest Problem for Rhodes?
There could hypothetically be a million possibilities as to who Orton called on Monday. However, given their association with Rhodes, it’s very likely either going to be a returning Rock or Owens. The Rock has crossed Rhodes several times over the past couple of years.
Some confrontations have led to attacks by him, and others by his associates, like Cena and Reigns. Either way, their issues are nowhere near being resolved. Owens started 2025 with a huge vendetta against Rhodes. His hearing the abuse hurled at Zayn probably made him really mad.
After all, it’s probably not a coincidence that this is all happening before WrestleMania. Having Owens return to stick up for Zayn and help Orton will be a great comeback story. No matter who Orton calls, Rhodes will be in trouble unless he thinks of a defense strategy before WrestleMania.
