4 Hints Cody Rhodes' most trusted WWE ally will turn on him soon

On the surface, everything seems to be fine between WWE stars Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. The two performers have been allies for years, dating back to their time together in Legacy.

Rhodes moved on to AEW and came back to WWE as a bigger star. The Viper remained and won even more major titles.

Since The American Nightmare has been back, they've resumed their friendship, battling Solo Sikoa's group, and now, Seth Rollins' Vision.

While they appear to be on the same page, fans could be in for a big shocker soon. The next four signs hint to Randy Orton turning on Cody Rhodes.

---

#4. Heels have questioned his motives

When he feuded with Orton ahead of WrestleMania 41, Kevin Owens was angry that The Viper didn't see Rhodes as he saw him. He felt The American Nightmare got away with everything because he's the Golden Boy.

Fans didn't care about him teaming with Roman Reigns despite Reigns and the Bloodline brutalizing stars like Orton and Owens during their four-year run atop WWE.

Drew McIntyre did the same, claiming that Cody cared more about himself and the Undisputed Championship, rather than Orton.

Those words are likely to get under The Legend Killer's skin. When more than a few people say the same thing, there may be a shred of truth to the claims.

---

#3. He lost to Cody Rhodes in the King of the Ring Finals

Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton squared off in the finals of the 2025 King of the Ring Tournament. The performers battled for the right to face John Cena for the Undisputed WWE title at SummerSlam.

The Viper held back on punting Rhodes, whereas Rhodes had no problem targeting Orton's injured back. Both stars wanted another crack at Cena, but The Legend Killer didn't get his chance.

Cody regained the title from Cena, and that can't sit well with Orton. Rhodes has been able to do the same thing he's tried to do, and he even lost to his friend.

The friendly competition will get old soon, especially if Orton starts to only look out for himself and remembers his nature as a predator.

---

#2. Randy Orton is stale as a face

A portion of WWE fans will love Randy Orton whether he's a heel or a hero. They'll sing along with his theme just to participate. Orton already acts like an anti-hero, attacking backstage officials, referees, and security as if they're his enemies.

The Legend Killer doesn't really do much differently regardless of where he stands in the roster, but he's much better as a cold-blooded villain. Some stars change very little when portraying heroes or heels.

Orton has already faced many of the current heels on SmackDown, so he's being added to Rhodes' feud with The Vision. He needs a big change if he's going to do anything substantial in the next year.

---

#1. The urge to win the Undisputed WWE title

Three big matches have defined Randy Orton's latest WWE run. His first was the 2024 King of the Ring loss to Gunther. He still got a championship match despite losing, so he didn't walk away empty-handed.

The Viper also lost in the King of the Ring finals this year. This time, it was to his best friend, Rhodes. That loss deprived him of revenge on Cena for humiliating him in front of his family at this year's Backlash in his hometown.

Those losses have to be piling up in the negative spaces in his mind. Those voices will only get louder with each massive loss. After saving Rhodes last week, Orton even held the WWE title for a long time.

He keeps playing second fiddle to Cody when backing him up. Other than platitudes, The Viper doesn't get anything from the partnership. Something has to change soon, and turning on Rhodes would open up newer avenues for storytelling.