26-year veteran to incapacitate Randy Orton ahead of Royal Rumble match? Massive swerve explored

Randy Orton sent a bold message on the final SmackDown before the Royal Rumble. He highlighted Roman Reigns' record numbers and expressed that he would be the one to end the champion's remarkable reign.

To get his revenge on The Tribal Chief for the actions that resulted in his injury nearly two years ago, Orton wanted to face him one-on-one for the Undisputed Title. However, The Bloodline's goonish antics during the Triple Threat match to decide Reigns' next challenger left General Manager Nick Aldis irate, and he announced the fatal four-way match.

The Phenomenal One has been undergoing a major transition since the latter part of last year. His group, The OC featuring Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows and Mia Yim, has expressed concerns over the matter and even ensured they would do anything to help.

On the latest edition of SmackDown, AJ Styles interrupted Randy Orton, before himself being interrupted by LA Knight. At the end of the show, the former WWE Champion attacked LA Knight and a brawl ensued. Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa allured him to side with them and use the steel chair attack Knight, but Styles refused.

The pause led to fans' suspicion of where AJ Styles' loyalties lie - in winning the Undisputed Championship or forming an alliance with The Bloodline. Given the intensity of their bout at the Royal Rumble, an unpredictable Styles could attack Randy Orton before their match, possibly injuring him and leaving him unfit for competition. This would provide him with all the ammunition he needs against Reigns, reducing the number of opponents.

The two WWE Superstars have a longstanding history that goes back to the year AJ Styles debuted in the company.

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Randy Orton teased becoming a 15-time World Champion

The second-generation star started his WWE career in the early 2000s and won over the wrestling world. He soon turned heel, which brought him to another level of prominence in the promotion.

He was the youngest star to win the World Heavyweight Championship at 24 years old. Since then, The Viper became synonymous with winning world titles. Fast forward to 2024, Randy Orton's presence in a WWE ring provides a spark on par with legends like John Cena and Ric Flair. who are 16-time World Champions.

While Orton highlighted the number 15, some fans considered it a tease for a possible entrance in the Royal Rumble match.

There were a lot of changes during The Viper's absence. New factions dominated and emerging stars rose to prominence. The landscape of the company truly changed, but his presence and aura is as strong as ever,

Do you think Randy Orton will be able to surpass his competitors in the fatal four-way match and finally dethrone Roman Reigns? Sound off in the comments.