Randy Orton to be replaced on WWE SmackDown by Cody Rhodes' former tag team partner? Exploring potential trade

On this week's episode of Monday Night RAW, Randy Orton made a surprise appearance on the show. Orton was there to confront and challenge newly crowned World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther, to a match for his title at Bash in Berlin.

While Gunther was quick to accept The Apex Predator's challenge, this raises the question of what Randy Orton's arrival on RAW means for SmackDown. When examined, there are many possibilities, and one such possibility suggests that Orton's arrival on RAW could mean Jey Uso going back to SmackDown.

For those who are unaware or forgot, Jey was originally a SmackDown star and left the brand due to his issues with The Bloodline. It was Cody Rhodes who got Jey to RAW, and since then Jey made quite a name for himself. However, there is a chance his time on RAW is nearing its end.

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With Roman Reigns making his return on SmackDown, it's obvious he will look for partners to join him against Solo Sikoa and the new Bloodline. This is where superstars like Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso could reunite with the Original Tribal Chief. It will be interesting to see if something along these lines takes place.

Current WWE Champion paid tribute to Randy Orton

On the current roster, Randy Orton is one of the most experienced WWE Superstars. Not only has Orton wrestled for a long time, but he also won several titles which puts him in a great place to mentor young and even experienced wrestlers in WWE.

While Orton often mentors superstars backstage, current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes paid tribute to The Apex Predator. Prior to SummerSlam, The American Nightmare said he wouldn't have been champion if not for Orton.

"I would not be standing here, Undisputed Champion, without Randy Orton."

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Orton indeed has a huge role to play in Cody Rhodes' career. As a matter of fact, early in his career, Rhodes was paired with Orton as a member of The Legacy which helped shape his career. Apart from this, Orton also helped Rhodes in recent times.

At SummerSlam, when Rhodes was attacked by The Bloodline, Orton and Kevin Owens came out to save him. It will be interesting to see how Orton and Rhodes' friendship continues to grow in the coming years.

About the author

Varun is a Golf and WWE journalist for Sportskeeda with over 4 years of work experience in his bag. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he worked for many sites, including EssentiallySports, FanSided, Khel Now, Get Football, and a few others.

Varun is a fan of golfer Scottie Scheffler due to the latter’s mindset, and he admires Roman Reigns’ ability to keep moving forward in life regardless of any obstacles. As a purist golf fan, he would love to compete at the Masters if given the opportunity, but is also happy with LIV Golf driving more eyeballs towards the sport. If he could go back in time and be a manager for someone in the WWE, it would have been Big Show.

Varun’s mantra for writing factually correct feature articles is thorough verification. Another key element in his writing is staying updated with both sports through the official websites of pro wrestling and Golf. He has had the privilege of interviewing MMA legend Greg Jackson in his career so far.

Varun likes to spend his free time reading or writing poetry and fiction. He also plans to learn and play golf in his spare time.

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Edited by Debottam Saha