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Several WWE Superstars on the current roster have a long family lineage of wrestlers. In the past, we have seen Triple H and the McMahons join forces and face each other on several occasions. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton have also had issues in the past, during which Dusty Rhodes was dragged into the fray.
Family warfare is an exceptional form of storytelling in pro wrestling that has been utilized several times in the past. The Rhodes Brothers taking on The Authority in 2013, for instance, was a rewarding experience for fans.
With several multi-generation superstars currently active and some even potentially set to join the company next year, there are many opportunities to highlight the lineage of these talents in major programs. Without further ado, let's look at three scenarios that could potentially happen 2023.
#3. The 14-time World Champion returns to hunt down his old protege
Randy Orton is a WWE Original and a third-generation talent. His grandfather Bob Orton, father Bob Orton Jr., and uncle Barry Orton were all wrestlers. Cody Rhodes is a second-generation superstar who is the son of wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes.
Orton was The American Nightmare's first opponent in WWE on television. Time after time in the late 2000s through the early 2010s, The Viper has tormented Rhodes, often showing his superior and sinister side to his protege.
The two ran roughshod over the entire RAW roster between late 2008 and early 2010 as part of the Legacy faction alongside Ted DiBiase Jr. These include top players such as Triple H, Shane McMahon, Batista, John Cena and Shawn Michaels.
After ending a mid-card feud with Kofi Kingston, the trio started facing internal conflict. At Royal Rumble 2010, Rhodes and DiBiase Jr. accidentally cost The Viper a WWE Championship match against Sheamus.
At the inaugural Elimination Chamber premium live event the following month, DiBiase Jr. eliminated Orton from the titular match, once again costing the latter a championship bout.
This led to an explosive triple threat match between the trio at WrestleMania 26 which saw Randy Orton destroy his proteges. A year later, Cody Rhodes was not looking to forgive or forget, reigniting their rivalry. The feud had the tag of "vengeance," albeit mostly one-sided, with Orton emerging victorious.
In 2013, the former WWE Champion was The Authority's default face of the company while The Rhodes Family were against them.
Randy even got Cody and Goldust fired from WWE (in storyline) after defeating both brothers individually in exciting singles bouts on the September 2 and October 2 episodes of RAW respectively.
With a rich history between both wrestlers, WWE would be wise to capitalize on this and have a main event program between these two superstars who are recognized globally as the best in the business.
#2. Andrade El Idolo's WWE return and aligning with the daughter of The Nature Boy
Andrade El Idolo is currently signed to AEW but has been on hiatus since the October 6 episode of Dynamite.
He is a third-generation superstar of the Andrade family. The former WWE United States Champion's grandfather, José Andrade, wrestled under the name "El Moro," while his father was under the moniker Brillante. They were all active in Mexico's lucha libre scene, with a long array of wrestlers in the family.
Andrade's wife Charlotte Flair is a WWE mainstay and second-generation wrestler, the daughter of The Nature Boy, Ric Flair. She is rumored to be returning to the Stamford-based company next year for a match against RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair.
The Queen was last seen dropping the SmackDown Women's Championship to Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania Backlash in an "I Quit" match, while Andrade El Idolo was last seen competing in the Casino Ladder match on AEW Dynamite in October.
If the former NXT Champion is looking to jump ship, then Triple H should book the power couple together on-screen and have them run roughshod over the roster.
They could be a massively successful duo, with plenty of options as opposition, including other power couples such as Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins, Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux, and even Brandi Rhodes and Cody Rhodes, if The American Nightmare's wife is looking to return to the ring in 2023.
Andrade El Idolo's first run with the company was mostly a miss, with a few glimmers of greatness on display, especially during his television feud with former World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio.
#1. The Head of the Table falls to the grandson of a plumber, an American Dream in Hollywood
Roman Reigns is the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion on the run of a lifetime. He has held onto the Universal Championship for 849+ days and the WWE Championship for 270+ days.
With The Bloodline on top, the Samoan Dynasty has never been more prominently featured in the wrestling industry. Yes, The Rock was one of the top guys in the business and could be an exception. Rikishi and Umaga were also members of the Anoa'i family. But none of them were like The Tribal Chief.
As of December 29, 2022, The Bloodline features Jimmy and Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa and Reigns himself, all members of the prominent Samoan family, together in the most dominant faction in all sports entertainment. Their cousin, Zilla Fatu, has already made it to Booker T's Reality of Wrestling school for training.
Cody Rhodes' father, the late, great Dusty Rhodes, never held a world title in WWE. The American Nightmare will make a difference in 2023 when he dethrones The Tribal Chief. Both wrestlers are multi-generation superstars who are arguably the two biggest names in pro wrestling today.
In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE television personality and RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff discussed the possibility of the very same.
"Well, it's a wonderful story, isn't it? I mean, second generation, I mean, who's, there are maybe a few more beloved characters in professional wrestling than Dusty Rhodes. I can't name one for me. But Dusty was so beloved and well respected. And then to have Cody following his father's footsteps and then become a WWE Champion, come on, that's a story. And I think that's why people are leaning into that speculation because it is such a good story," he said.
The rest of the WWE Universe, who share this sentiment with Eric Bischoff, are also looking forward to Cody Rhodes' coronation at WrestleMania 39.
It looks more and more of a possibility as the days go by for The American Nightmare to return to the ring and challenge Roman Reigns for a massive main event program heading into the Grandest Stage of Them All, with The Rock's status uncertain for the event.
