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Randy Orton is a household name in WWE, and not seeing him perform on weekly television just doesn’t feel right. The Viper has been out of action due to a back injury that he suffered on the May 20, 2022, episode of SmackDown, where he and Matt Riddle lost to The Usos in a Winner takes All Unification Match.
The veteran was supposed to feud with Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam later that year, but his back injury forced the company to pull the plug on those plans. The Tribal Chief ended up defending his title against Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing Match at the July 30th Premium Live Event.
Randy Orton’s injury has already cost him months of TV time. The Viper underwent back fusion surgery, but his doctors are worried that Orton’s medical condition might get worse should he choose to return to the squared circle.
The 43-year-old superstar has been a mainstay in WWE for a long time, and his continued absence might force Triple H to find a replacement.
With that in mind, we believe these five superstars have what it takes to fill in The Viper’s place and carry WWE for years to come.
#1. Matt Riddle can replace Randy Orton
Matt Riddle’s association with Randy Orton led him to tag team glory on multiple occasions. The Viper said the Original Bro revitalized his career. However, Orton's abrupt hiatus from WWE television has affected Riddle to a great extent. This, coupled with real-life controversies, is seemingly causing backstage problems for the former United States Champion.
Matt Riddle is the most obvious choice to replace Orton, given his past association with the 14-time World Champion.
The former UFC fighter was drafted to RAW as part of WWE Draft 2023. Riddle is a great performer who can have great matches on the main roster. His gimmick, however, needs a bit of revamp in order to excel in his solo run.
#2. Grayson Waller
Those who are used to watching WWE NXT know how good Grayson Waller is on the mic. The arrogant Aussie was arguably the top heel on NXT before he was drafted to SmackDown. The blue brand is set to witness the Grayson Waller Effect next Friday.
Waller’s mic skills and solid in-ring abilities make him a good choice to replace Randy Orton on the main roster. His natural heel charisma allows him to play mind games with his opponents, similar to what Orton used to do during his iconic heel run in 2009.
#3. Cody Rhodes
Randy Orton had a lot of influence on Cody Rhodes during the latter’s rookie years in WWE. The Viper was also instrumental in shaping a young Cody’s career during their time together in The Legacy.
The American Nightmare is arguably the hottest babyface in WWE not named Seth Rollins. He’s also someone WWE can trust to carry merchandise sales and tickets for the next 10 years.
Finally, his association with his former mentor makes him a viable pick to act as a locker-room leader just like Orton.
#4. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik Mysterio is undoubtedly the most hated man in WWE at the moment. Don’t believe us; just check the Fort Worth (Texas) crowd’s reaction to him cutting a promo on the May 1, 2023, episode of Monday Night RAW.
Dominik’s heel turn has done wonders for his WWE career. The 26-year-old RAW Superstar continues to excel in his role. If this booking continues, The Judgment Day member will soon become one of the top stars on the roster and make a name for himself, much like Randy Orton did after his split from Evolution in 2004.
#5. Montez Ford
Montez Ford is widely touted as the breakout star of the Street Profits. Having said that, Ford has yet to embark on a solo run in his WWE career. However, that hasn’t stopped him from delivering amazing performance week in and week out.
Ford was the MVP of the men’s Elimination Chamber match in February 2023. The former RAW Tag Team Champion has everything it takes to be a top star in WWE.
It remains to be seen when Triple H will give him his much-anticipated big break and possibly make him the person to replace Randy Orton.
Who would you pick to replace Randy Orton? Let us know in the comment section below.
