Current WWE champion on possibly facing Randy Orton in the future: "I won't have any sympathy"

Randy Orton, 44, has maintained his health well enough to give the younger WWE Superstars a run for their money. He returned to the ring late last year and has continued to put on impeccable performances consistently.

He was recently praising one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champion, Austin Theory, for the latter being careful about not making the kind of mistakes he made when the veteran was Theory's age. The former United States Champion has now responded to the massive praise directed at him by the 14-time World Champion.

Theory admitted that it only makes him want to push himself harder every day. However, the young star clarified that he will not hesitate to put down The Viper if he has to down the line.

While speaking on the Battleground Podcast, Austin claimed that whatever The Legend Killer said about his mentality is accurate, and the only thing he has to do is hold up his end. However, he threw in a warning to Orton and Kevin Owens, should the two challenge Theory and Grayson Waller for the straps:

"Coming down the road, if Randy's there, I won't have any sympathy, though. Because, these Tag Team Championships — I know he likes running around with Kevin Owens, if they decide to come our way, Just remember Randy what you said. Remember all those things you said. Because you said you weren't where you were at when you were my age. So just remember that." [H/T: Fightful]

Theory already has a win over some of the top WWE Superstars, from John Cena to Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley and Sheamus, among others.

---

Randy Orton and Kevin Owens already have a win over the WWE Tag Team Champions

A few weeks before when they retrieved the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania XL in the Six-Pack Ladder match, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller fell to Randy Orton and Kevin Owens on SmackDown.

Although at the time it seemed like Orton and Owens were only teaming up because they had a common enemy in United States Champion Logan Paul, they continued their alliance way past The Show of Shows. At Backlash in Lyon, France, the two fell to The Bloodline's Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga in a high-voltage Street Fight.

The Apex Predator has assured that Sikoa's Bloodline will pay, while also revealing recently that his tag team partner is out with an injury. Meanwhile, Orton will face Tama Tonga on the upcoming episode of the blue brand. The winner of that bout will face Gunther at WWE King and Queen of the Ring this Saturday night in the final contest to determine the 2024 King of the Ring.