On Friday’s episode of “WWE SmackDown,” Steel Cage Champion Randy Orton turned the tables on his now former friend and legendary stablemate, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, ahead of his title match at WrestleMania 42. In a twist, Orton viciously beat Rhodes, causing him to bleed, and fans cheered for “The Viper.” According to Dave Meltzer on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE officials expect this to happen.
“I still want Randy Orton to be cheered at WrestleMania…everyone is looking forward to it,” Meltzer said. “WWE included, don’t kid yourself. They want Randy to be a heel. It’s hard when you have a guy in his 40s who’s been at the top for 25 years… people don’t want to really boo you because they’ve seen you for so long that they appreciate you.”
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Orton is competing in his 21st WrestleMania match, seeking the 15th World Championship of his career. While the contract he signed with Rhodes at the end of “SmackDown” was initially respectable, things took a turn when Orton beat the champion to death with the steel steps.
At one point, Orton’s SummerSlam 2025 tag team partner Jelly Roll jumped the barricade in an attempt to calm “The Viper” down, but was pushed to the ground for his trouble. Orton sat in the ring with the Undisputed WWE Championship in hand, ending the segment as the show went off the air.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Wrestling Observer Radio” and provide ah/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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Read the original article about Wrestling Inc.
