Fans want absent WWE star to sensationally return after 59 weeks and start new feud with Cody Rhodes

Many superstars are currently sidelined for multiple reasons, and one such name could soon be back inside the WWE ring. A new fan poll has now suggested that a majority of people would love to see Randy Orton return as a heel and feud with Cody Rhodes.

Forced out of action due to a severe back injury, Randy Orton has not wrestled for over a year. Moreover, he has not made an on-screen appearance since an episode of SmackDown in May 2022.

Orton's back issues were previously believed to be extremely severe, with rumors doing the rounds that he might never be able to wrestle again. Kurt Angle, however, recently confirmed that Orton had recovered from his back surgery and could soon be back on TV.

Fans are now busy discussing how WWE could reintroduce The Apex Predator, and among all the possibilities, it seems like they want to see him return as a heel. WrestlingInc recently conducted a poll on Twitter, asking viewers about what they'd like to see Randy Orton do once he's back on TV. The options included reuniting with Matt Riddle or Cody Rhodes and feuding with The American Nightmare.

The fanbase was overwhelmingly in favor of Orton returning to his sadistic and villainous persona and having a long-awaited rivalry with Cody Rhodes. You can view the poll results in the tweet below.

---

The WWE history between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes

The former champions have a lot of things in common and have known each other for over 15 years. Randy Orton was one of Cody Rhodes' mentors when the latter joined WWE's developmental territory in 2006.

In fact, Orton was Cody's first opponent on the main roster, and while the rookie predictably lost, fans were convinced that Dusty Rhodes' son had the potential to be a big star.

In 2008, Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Ted DiBiase Jr. formed The Legacy, and they stayed together until WWE split them up and booked a triple-threat match between the trio at WrestleMania 26.

Rhodes even unsuccessfully challenged for the World Heavyweight Championship against Randy Orton in 2011, and he eventually left the company five years later to reignite his career. Randy Orton was among the first stars to welcome Cody Rhodes back in WWE as they had a heartwarming reunion on RAW in April 2022.

They also competed in an eight-man tag team match on the same episode, and fans have since wanted to see more interactions between real-life friends.

While an alliance between them may not sound extremely promising, would a full-blown program between a heel Orton and a babyface Rhodes be better? Sound off in the comments section below.