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Randy Orton Drops 3-Time WWE Champion With RKO On SmackDown

By John Canton • Published Aug 23, 2025 09:28 EDT
Randy Orton WWE

Randy Orton was back on WWE SmackDown, and he delivered a message to one of his biggest rivals.

The last time that Randy Orton competed in a WWE ring was at SummerSlam in New Jersey when he teamed up with the singer Jelly Roll to face Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul in a match that was full of drama.

Unfortunately for Orton, his team lost when Jelly insisted that he could get the win for the team. Orton tagged him in, and instead, Drew and Logan finished off Jelly to win the match.

With SummerSlam in the rearview, Drew McIntyre has focused his attention on the WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

On WWE SmackDown on August 8th, McIntyre took out Rhodes with a Claymore Kick into the bottom of the commentary table. Rhodes missed the next two SmackDown episodes because of it. Cody is also filming the Street Fighter film, which is part of the reason he is off.

Drew McIntyre did a promo on WWE SmackDown in Dublin where he called Rhodes a little bitch. McIntyre claimed that he gave Rhodes more time and told Cody to hold onto the WWE Title tight. McIntyre said he’s pinned Rhodes before, and the next time he pins Cody, he’ll be the WWE Champion.

Randy Orton Surprises Drew McIntyre

As McIntyre claimed that Rhodes had no friends left in WWE, the fans were going crazy for something. There’s Randy Orton right behind McIntyre! When McIntyre turned around, Orton was there, and Orton dropped McIntyre with an RKO! The fans were going crazy and singing Orton’s song as it played in the arena.

There’s a long history between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes going back to the Legacy group over 15 years ago, so when McIntyre claimed Rhodes didn’t have friends, he was wrong and that’s why Orton showed up.

Since Cody Rhodes is unlikely to be in action at Clash in Paris, WWE could have Orton face McIntyre at the show in a matchup of former WWE Champions.