Randy Orton's Best Potential Feuds After WrestleMania 39 amid WWE Rumors About Return

WrestleMania has a rich history of surprises, and none may be bigger in 2023 than the comeback of 10-time WWE champion Randy Orton.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com noted that the 42-year-old is expected to be in Los Angeles for WrestleMania 39 (h/t Cageside Seats). And Dave Meltzer echoed that report, stating that all indications are he will be back shortly.

If The Viper does return on The Grandest Stage of Them All or shortly after, there are three ready-made feuds waiting for him.

Matt Riddle

We last saw Orton as one-half of RK-Bro with Matt Riddle, a championship-winning duo that became immensely popular with the WWE Universe. They were wacky, mismatched partners, but the pairing worked in ways others didn't.

Orton appeared to be having fun, turning in some of his most energized performances in recent years and restoring credibility to the tag team division along the way.

A year later, though, and neither has been on television. Orton has been recovering from a significant back injury, and Riddle has been on the sideline since December following a suspension related to WWE's Wellness Policy.

If Orton is healthy enough to return, bringing him back with Riddle and have him turn on The Original Bro immediately to set up a program between them would be a stunner for fans and quickly establish The Viper as the dangerous heel he has always excelled as.

Orton can even turn it on Riddle, telling him he took him to the highest level he has ever experienced in WWE only to screw it up the moment he wasn't around to protect him.

There is meat on that bone for the performers and WWE Creative here, making it a program that could instantly captivate fans and lead to a red-hot rivalry right out of the gate.

Cody Rhodes

There is a rich history between Orton and Cody Rhodes, dating all the way back to the latter's first appearances in WWE.

Rhodes debuted on television by defending his father, Dusty. Within a year, he formed a bond with Orton and became one-third of The Legacy, a faction of second- and third-generation stars that also featured Ted DiBiase Jr.

He ultimately broke out on his own by 2010, but there is no denying the influence Orton had on Rhodes' early development.

With The American Nightmare poised to defeat Roman Reigns and win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania, what better way to reintroduce The Viper than by having him target his former protégé?

Rhodes will need a serious contender coming out of WrestleMania to maintain the momentum he has entering the event. Orton would provide that, though the question then becomes how willing WWE Creative would be to have him lose fresh off a major return.

For that reason, the Rhodes feud would probably be the least effective of the three proposed here, but it is the one with most background to pull from.

Roman Reigns

If WWE wishes to keep Orton babyface, the most logical opponent for him is Roman Reigns.

It was The Tribal Chief who applied the guillotine to Orton, leaving him unconscious on the May 20, 2022 episode of SmackDown, his last with the company prior to his injury absence.

It was Reigns who also led a Bloodline that made life a nightmare for Orton, Riddle and other babyfaces this time a year ago.

With The Tribal Chief coming off what many expect to be a loss at WrestleMania, having Orton return and take advantage of his vulnerability is a great call. It is also gives Reigns something to do at a high level so that he is not perceived to be taking a step down.

Most importantly, though, it reintroduces The Viper to the main event, maximizing his star power in the process.

Reigns will probably take some time off after 'Mania but imagine what it would mean to him, storylines and Orton if his hiatus was the direct result of a beatdown by a vengeful Viper.

Of the three proposed storylines here, this one makes the most sense and employs two top-tier Superstars along the way.

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