Randy Orton to announce retirement from WWE on SmackDown for one major reason? Exploring the possibility

Randy Orton lost at Backlash 2025 in front of his home crowd, as John Cena retained his Undisputed WWE Championship. The WWE Universe hasn’t heard from The Apex Predator since he lost the high-profile bout against his arch-nemesis. The 14-time world champion could shockingly announce his retirement from the Stamford-based promotion on the latest edition of SmackDown.

The upcoming episode of SmackDown will emanate from Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC. Randy Orton is scheduled to appear on the show. In an emotional segment, The Apex Predator could reflect on his loss against Cena and claim that he had disappointed his fans and family after failing to dethrone the Last Real Champion. This could be the major reason behind his kayfabe retirement.

After announcing his retirement as part of a storyline, Orton might go on a long hiatus. If the company doesn't have a program lined up for The Viper heading into the summer, he could be taken off television.

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Orton could later reveal that his retirement announcement was a ruse and return to WWE as a heel once Cody Rhodes becomes the Undisputed WWE Champion again. Legends like Mark Henry and AJ Styles have used the trick in the past to secure title opportunities.

Rhodes and Orton could then kick off their much-awaited storyline for the biggest prize in the business. As of now, this is mere speculation, and nothing has been confirmed.

Randy Orton might be fined by WWE for his actions

A bout against Randy Orton wasn’t easy for John Cena. The two legends pushed each other to the limit. With each passing minute, Orton’s frustration grew as Cena kept finding ways to remain champion.

Orton’s frustration reached its boiling point when the referee was taken out during the contest. Nick Aldis, alongside other officials, rushed to the ring to check on the referee. However, The Apex Predator snapped and hit everyone, including Aldis, with an RKO.

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The Legend Killer might have to face severe repercussions for his actions at Backlash. He has repeatedly put his hands on WWE officials over the past months. Hence, Aldis could fine Orton on this week's SmackDown. The suggested scenario is speculative, and it will be interesting to see what plans the Triple H-led creative team has in store for Orton in the coming weeks.

About the author

Nayan is a WWE News and Features writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. After completing his bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Poddar International, he began working as a YouTube script writer. Nayan then transitioned to Pinkvilla as a combat sports writer. He gained valuable experience there before finally coming under the banner of Sportskeeda.

Within 1.5 years, Nayan has written over 1,000 articles, interviewed MFN promotion owners, and conducted a Twitter campaign that gained over 50k retweets and more. He puts fact-checking and mindful journalism above everything by applying a three-check method, where he tries to verify reports from reliable sources and cross-check whether other major publications have covered them.

Looking back at his association with pro wrestling, Nayan recalls being hooked on the sport after watching Shawn Michael vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 24. Since then, the product has been an inseparable part of his life.

Apart from The Heartbreak Kid being Nayan's favorite wrestler for his confidence and charisma, he is also a fan of Brock Lesnar due to The Beast's "work speaks louder than words" attitude.

Nayan can be found performing mixed martial arts and reading true crime in his free time.

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Edited by Pratik Singh