Randy Orton to feud with 38-year-old WWE Superstar after Survivor Series: WarGames? Exploring possible hint

It's official. Randy Orton is back! The Apex Predator will join Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Seth "Freakin" Rollins, and Jey Uso in a quest to defeat The Judgment Day plus Drew McIntyre inside WarGames at Survivor Series.

Rumors were rife that Orton would return to the squared circle in Chicago, but few expected WWE to give away such a massive surprise on the go-home show.

Last week, after McIntyre brokered an odd alliance with The Judgment Day, it seemed as if the deck was stacked against the Rhodes-led babyface team. Fortunately, the returning Orton has leveled the playing field for Survivor Series: WarGames.

While fans are enthusiastic about Randy Orton's long-awaited comeback, they would be more excited to learn about Orton's first potential feud.

The American Nightmare keenly proclaimed the 14-time World Champion as a star of McIntyre's caliber. Rhodes portrayed Orton as the trump card for his team, while The Judgment Day did the same with The Scottish Warrior.

Considering the parallels being drawn between the two superstars, a feud could be on the cards after Survivor Series 2023. Drew McIntyre recently completed his heel turn by attacking Jey Uso and aligning with Rhea Ripley and Company.

Randy Orton, on the contrary, coming off the back of a career-threatening injury, has the entire fan base on his side. The heel-babyface dynamics at play in a potential McIntyre-Orton saga are riveting, and could make for some intriguing segments.

They do have a storied past as The Viper and The Scottish Warrior battled each other for the majority of the summer and fall seasons of 2020 in the pandemic era. Triple H could also factor those previous encounters into their latest potential clash.

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Randy Orton's Survivor Series return makes it a can't-miss show

Announcing and pre-advertising Randy Orton's long-awaited in-ring return at Survivor Series: WarGames may seem puzzling but, from a business perspective, it is a stroke of genius.

WWE fans have sorely missed the 14-time World Champion. Last year, there were concerns that Orton would have to face early retirement due to a career-threatening back injury. Yet, The Viper persevered and now fans eagerly await his iconic theme song to resonate once again.

A sizeable chunk of the wrestling world would tune in just to witness Orton's grand homecoming. The pop may not be as memorable with WWE eliminating the element of surprise, but it would be heart-warming.

With massive superstars like Roman Reigns and Logan Paul sitting out the PLE, it made logical sense to advertise a hot commodity like Orton for Survivor Series, even if it gave away the surprise.