37-year-old WWE star to make his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 40? Exploring the likelihood

WrestleMania 40 is only a few months away, and it's evident that WWE is beginning to build the feuds for the two-night affair. While some are more obvious than others, one feud might be taking a slower build after seeds were planted recently.

One of the stars that returned this year was Randy Orton, who was absent for more than a year due to a back injury. One of his first orders of business was to help Cody Rhodes succeed at Survivor Series, followed by making it clear that he hasn't forgiven The Bloodline for their attack which led to his absence. He also made a significant decision by joining the SmackDown roster but had an unfortunate encounter with Nick Aldis.

Before Randy could announce that he would join the Blue brand, The Bloodline attacked him, until LA Knight helped The Viper fend them off. Orton signed the SmackDown contract, then RKO'd the general manager out of nowhere. Although he has "apologized" and paid his fine, Nick has proven to be a different kind of GM.

Randy is set to battle Knight and AJ Styles on the first SmackDown of 2024, who also have their sights set on Roman Reigns. During the match, Orton could lose and complain to Aldis about it and demand a rematch. Nick could deny his request and receive another RKO. This could be the last straw for the manager.

If Randy enters the Royal Rumble for another shot at Reigns, Aldis could eliminate him as revenge. This would set up a feud between both men at WrestleMania 40, the first in-ring performance of Nick in the Stamford-based promotion.

Which top WWE Superstar did Nick Aldis put on notice?

Nick was on the receiving end of a devastating RKO

Fans are enjoying the current character Aldis is portraying on WWE. Roman and Nick first met on the December 22, 2023, episode of WWE SmackDown. During the segment, The Tribal Chief questioned why Aldis created the matches without consulting Roman first. However, the general manager stated he runs the show now and doesn't need Reigns' approval. Even veteran journalist Bill Apter noted that it was rare to see The Head of the Table be put in his place.

How did Nick Aldis react after the RKO from Randy Orton?

Fans were not surprised when The Viper attacked Nick, but the latter may have been blindsided. Nick shared on social media that he thought his meeting was Orton was going well before the RKO.

It remains to be seen when Nick will finally get to perform inside a WWE ring.