45-year-old WWE legend to make blockbuster return on SmackDown tonight? Exploring the possibility

The King of the Ring tournament kicked off on this week's edition of WWE RAW, with two Fatal Four-Way quarterfinal bouts set for RAW and SmackDown each. The tournament will culminate at Night of Champions: Riyadh later this month. The Triple H-led creative team is set to book several marquee qualifying bouts in the coming weeks.

WWE legend Randy Orton, one of the participants, has been absent from weekly programming since suffering a devastating loss to John Cena at Backlash in his hometown of St. Louis. But The Viper is all set to make his long-awaited return on SmackDown, either tonight or next Friday, and WWE fans couldn’t be more ready.

While it has not been officially confirmed whether his King of the Ring quarterfinal match will take place this week or next, the 45-year-old's return is imminent. Given his status as one of the most iconic and accomplished WWE Superstars in history, the 14-time World Champion's return to television is bound to have fans on their feet, crying "Voices" in unison as The Legend Killer steps through the curtain.

Even if his match is held next week, a return and a statement of purpose tonight will be a great way to build the match up. A face-off between Randy Orton and Aleister Black screams money.

The 45-year-old is part of a stacked SmackDown KOTR bracket, with LA Knight, Aleister Black, and Carmelo Hayes all in his quarterfinal match. The winner will advance to face Monday Night RAW's Sami Zayn, someone Orton does not have a personal issue with at this time. While The Apex Predator is always considered a favorite every time he steps inside the squared circle due to his stature in the company and past accomplishments, this may not be his year.

Be that as it may, after being cheated out of the Undisputed WWE Championship at Backlash by Cena in what was billed as their last match, at least by Cena, fans may witness a more ruthless, cold-blooded Orton in the coming weeks. And if he does win the King of the Ring tournament, he will likely challenge Cena for the title at SummerSlam in a match he has rightfully earned, and The Unseen 17 would have no choice but to run it back with The Apex Predator one more time.

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Randy Orton's KOTR journey last year and his path to becoming a 15-time WWE World Champion

Randy Orton is no stranger to the King of the Ring spotlight. Last year, he reached the finals of the tournament in a memorable run that ended with an instant classic against Gunther.

Since returning to WWE TV at Survivor Series 2023 following an injury-related hiatus, The Viper has been right back in the thick of the main event scene, having challenged for the World Heavyweight Championship and the Undisputed WWE Title multiple times. However, his 15th world title win continues to elude him.

Now, with the 2025 King of the Ring tournament in full swing and SummerSlam looming, The Apex Predator is expected to be featured prominently through the summer. It will be interesting to see what the Triple H-led creative team has in store for Randy Orton in the coming weeks.