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Following a blockbuster return at the 2023 Survivor Series: WarGames Premium Live Event, Randy Orton wasted no time making his presence known on both WWE RAW and SmackDown. The Viper reminded The Judgment Day of how potent he can be on the red brand with a win over Dominik Mysterio before fending off a Bloodline attack on SmackDown with the help of LA Knight.
The Apex Predator then chose to sign for the blue brand over Adam Pearce's show, where he has spent the bulk of his Hall Of Fame career. He will now be a fixture under Nick Aldis with revenge against Roman Reigns and Co. on his mind. After that box office feud, a multitude of compelling interactions with the rest of the roster await him, and fans can be treated to some never-before-seen feuds.
As he kicks off his stay on WWE SmackDown with a huge tag team bout, here are four of the biggest first-time singles feuds awaiting Randy Orton on the blue brand
#4: LA Knight could be an exciting opponent for Randy Orton on WWE SmackDown down the road
What a difference 18 months makes! The night Randy Orton was written off WWE programming, the ill-fated Maximum Male Models debuted under the stewardship of one Max Dupri. Dupri was arguably the furthest thing from a main event superstar in the company and was surely heading for an eventual release.
Fast forward exactly 80 weeks, and the man now known as LA Knight rescued The Viper from a Bloodline attack barely a month after headlining a PLE. Now that the duo is on the same brand and both top competitors, it's only a matter of time before they clash. Orton's veteran star power coming up against Knight's ever-swelling momentum would be an incredible watch.
#3: Solo Sikoa is already in Randy Orton's crosshairs on WWE SmackDown
Solo Sikoa was still in NXT when The Bloodline put Randy Orton on the shelf. The Street Champ wouldn't debut on the main roster for another three and a half months but has since become a pillar of the faction. He, along with Jimmy Uso, delivered a rude welcome to The Viper upon the latter's SmackDown return.
With The Apex Predator and LA Knight taking on The Bloodline duo in the former's first blue brand match since returning, it's only a matter of time until Orton and Sikoa tangle one-on-one. When this inevitably comes to pass, the 14-time World Champion will be hoping to fare better than old rival John Cena did against The Enforcer at Crown Jewel.
#2: WWE United States Champion Logan Paul would make a compelling foil for Randy Orton
Randy Orton made a name for himself in WWE by being a brash and cocky heel who was annoying not just for his antics but also for how naturally good he was in the ring. The gold soon followed, and over the following two decades, he carved out a highly decorated career. Now, he's a beloved veteran with nearly universal fan adulation despite still being one of the most dangerous performers on the roster.
In the meantime, a number of similarly cocky upstarts like Austin Theory and Grayson Waller have begun to make their name, drawing comparisons to Orton. No young heel is currently more relevant than United States champion Logan Paul, who has taken to the business like a fish to water. Could these two super-talented showmen clash in the near future?
Who wouldn't want to see Paul face The Viper, given The Maverick's impressive outings against The Miz, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Rey Mysterio?
#1: Randy Orton will go one-on-one against the "Tribal Chief" version of Roman Reigns for the first time on WWE SmackDown
Technically, Randy Orton has feuded with Roman Reigns before. Somewhat surprisingly, the duo, despite clashing in multiple Royal Rumbles, tag team, and multi-man matches, have only had one singles feud culminating at Summerslam 2014. Since Reigns morphed into a nearly unrecognizably Tribal Chief, he has only faced Orton once in a six-man bout at WrestleMania Backlash 2022.
Following a blockbuster Survivor Series 2023 return, The Viper is now making a beeline for The Head of the Table in what is sure to be a box-office feud. This will be the first time The Apex Predator goes one-on-one with the final boss heel version of the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, and we can't wait to see it unfold.
