Randy Orton shouldn't compete at WrestleMania 41, says legendary manager, against top WWE name

Modified Apr 12, 2025 12:37 GMT

Randy Orton on SmackDown! [Image credit: WWE.com]

Randy Orton lost his opponent for WrestleMania 41 when Kevin Owens appeared on WWE SmackDown and announced a hiatus due to a neck injury. Meanwhile, legendary manager Jim Cornette thinks The Viper shouldn't compete in Las Vegas against Nick Aldis.

Last week, Nick Aldis appeared in the ring to introduce Kevin Owens. The Prizefighter revealed his injury to the world and went on a hiatus to recover. Ultimately, Randy Orton hit the SmackDown General Manager with an RKO to close the segment.

Speaking on Jim Cornette's Drive-Thru podcast, the legendary manager stated he doesn't want The Apex Predator to face Nick Aldis at WrestleMania 41 as the two stars don't have the proper motivation for the match, and the audience wouldn't be invested in their impromptu showdown.

"I don't think people would want to [Randy Orton vs. Nick Aldis]. Aldis has not been such a reprehensible character that Orton has any reason to beat him, nor do the people really have any reason to want to see it. I think this [RKO to Aldis] was just to keep in character with what Randy Orton would do and give the people something to remember," Cornette said. (From 04:55 to 05:27)

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Disco Inferno discusses Nick Aldis vs. Randy Orton for WrestleMania 41 following WWE SmackDown

In 2023, Randy Orton returned to the Stamford-based promotion for the first time in nearly two years. He decided to join WWE SmackDown and hunt The Bloodline down for their actions. Upon signing the contract, he hit Nick Aldis with an RKO and made a statement.

Luckily, Aldis forgave him for it, and The Viper was to pay the fine in double if it ever happened in the future. Speaking on K100 with Konnan and Disco Inferno, Inferno questioned the possibility of a match between Randy Orton and Nick Aldis after Orton hit an RKO on the SmackDown General Manager.

The veteran questioned WWE's options for The Apex Predator and wondered how the match would attract fans' interest. It'll be interesting to see if management can find the right opponent for The Viper in less than 10 days for WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.

If you use quotes from the article, please credit Jim Cornette's Drive Thru and provide an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

About the author

Aakaansh is a WWE news writer in Sportskeeda. After getting hooked on professional wrestling in 2008 watching WWE and TNA, he found himself admiring the work ethic and passion of the wrestlers for their craft, the business, and the industry as a whole.

With a post-graduate degree in writing, and currently pursuing a Master's degree in Communication, Aakaansh's knack for writing and love of pro wrestling eventually led him to SK seven years ago before he found a permanent place in the division in 2021, initially writing SEO content and transitioning to news in April 2022.

He is committed to producing detailed, factual, and unbiased reports free of opinion, which will resonate with both long-term and newer fans. When not writing about pro wrestling, Aakaansh is engaged in the dynamic worlds of pop culture, anime, and Fortnite.

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Edited by Aakaansh Sukale