5 possible opponents for Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41

With Kevin Owens reportedly injured ahead of WWE WrestleMania 41, his scheduled match against Randy Orton could be off the table. Orton was supposed to face Owens in a long-awaited one-on-one match at the event after months of tension between the two. But with KO now dealing with an undisclosed injury, WWE may have to come up with a last-minute change.

That leaves The Viper without a confirmed opponent for The Showcase of the Immortals. But considering Orton's legacy and deep history with many WWE Superstars, finding a new opponent shouldn't be too difficult.

Here are five possible opponents for Randy Orton if Owens isn't cleared in time.

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#5. Solo Sikoa

If KO is out of the main event picture, Solo Sikoa could be the next in line to face Randy Orton. The two have built up a heated rivalry on WWE over the past year. Sikoa and Tama Tonga defeated The Viper and KO at Backlash France last year, too. Hence, a showdown between them would make sense. Sikoa is currently not in any major storyline or match heading to the big event, which makes this option even more possible.

The only tricky part is figuring out the result of the match. It would feel odd for Orton to lose. But it would also be damaging for Sikoa to lose at such a big event. Still, the match could bring in a lot of attention.

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#4. Aleister Black

With reports saying WWE has re-signed several veteran free agents, Black's return is one of the most anticipated. Teasing vignettes have already begun airing, and his return could happen any week now. Now, if Owens is unable to wrestle, Black could step in as Randy Orton's new opponent at the big event.

That would be a fresh matchup fans haven't seen before on the big stage. In 2020, Owens was having a match with The Apex Predator. Black attacked KO on his way to the ring, and Orton had an easy win. However, it would be a good match to see if Black turns against The Viper.

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#3. Carmelo Hayes

Back in March, Randy Orton and Carmelo Hayes had a match where Hayes tried to disrespect Orton by refusing his handshake. Orton didn't take it lightly and ended up winning. KO had to intervene to stop Orton from doing more damage to Hayes. This wasn't the first time they crossed paths.

During the King of the Ring Tournament last May, Randy Orton defeated Hayes. With two big losses already and Owens defending Hayes recently, WWE could use that history to book Hayes against The Apex Predator again at WrestleMania 41. This would give Carmelo a chance to redeem himself.

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#2. Rusev

Rusev has just signed back with WWE, and the timing couldn't be better for him to reignite his rivalry with Randy Orton. Their history goes back years. Most notably:

• SummerSlam 2017: Rusev ambushed Orton before the match even began.
• Hell in a Cell 2017: They had a high-stakes singles match- Orton won.
• SmackDown Live: They competed in a triple threat match against Bobby Roode - Orton won again.
• WrestleMania 34: They were in a US Championship title match.

Rusev was then released by the Stamford-based promotion in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now that he's reportedly set to appear at The Shows of Show in Las Vegas, a return match against Randy Orton would be a fitting way to make a strong statement. After all those past losses against The Viper, this could be a good moment to remind everyone why he was called the "Bulgarian Brute."

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#1. Randy Orton can be Cody Rhodes' tag team partner against The Rock and John Cena (Night 1)

This might be the most unexpected option but also the most headline-worthy. Recently, Randy Orton told The American Nightmare directly that he wants to be back in the WWE Championship picture.

That tease opens the door for something bigger. Earlier, there were speculations that Triple H could announce a six-man tag team match including Travis Scott. What if the 14-time World Champion ends up being Cody's partner?

But even if Randy Orton isn't added to the match as an official participant, WWE could involve him in a special role, like being the guest referee for the singles match. Additionally, knowing Orton's history of betrayals, imagine the twist if he pretends to support The Champ, only to turn heel and help John Cena. It could create a massive moment in WWE history.

With Kevin Owens out of the picture, the Stamford-based promotion has several directions it can take The Viper's story. For now, all these are speculations, and nothing is confirmed as to who will be his opponent.