"Took me under his wing" - Top WWE star pays touching tribute to Randy Orton after RAW

WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes paid a heartfelt tribute to Randy Orton following this week's RAW.

For those unaware, Rhodes was part of the Legacy faction in WWE with Randy Orton and Ted DiBiase Jr., way back in 2008. The duo struck a friendship, which The Viper referenced following Cody's exit from the company in 2016.

The focus leading up to this week's RAW was The Viper, who is celebrating his 20th year with the company. In this week's main event, Rhodes teamed up with Orton, Riddle, and Ezekiel. The American Nightmare commented on his special friendship with The Viper after the latest RAW.

"I have an assortment of jovial stories about this man - but often I miss the mark on the most important aspect… Randy Orton took me under his wing; perhaps begrudgingly or not, but he did it sincerely. Up in the stands earlier in the day, in the car, in the locker room, on the apron…constantly delivering wisdom and functional advice, and it came from a place of experience and wasn’t just rhetoric. His passion for our sport is aggressive. Loud and proud. Did it his way and in the process entertained millions. Thank you. Cheers to 20," wrote Cody Rhodes.

Orton was the star attraction in this week's RAW main event match, landing four RKOs and defeating the team of The Usos, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins in front of a loud Knoxville crowd.

What's next for Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton after this week's WWE RAW?

This week's WWE RAW continued the various feuds, which will hopefully culminate in several matches at next month's WrestleMania: Backlash.

Orton and Riddle (RK-Bro) will face The Usos on the show, with the twins seeking to unify their SmackDown Tag Team Championship with the RAW titles. They seek to emulate The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, who unified the WWE Championship and Universal Championship at WrestleMania 38.

Meanwhile, Rhodes will have a rematch against his WrestleMania opponent, Seth Rollins, at the upcoming premium live event. It remains to be seen if the former and Orton will ever team up again or not.