Cody Rhodes may have walked out of WWE Night of Champions with the crown, but all eyes were on Randy Orton—and the seeds for his heel turn might have been planted in front of the entire world.
Rhodes and Orton kicked off the June 28 event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, battling to determine the 2025 King of the Ring. The crowd was electric for the showdown, which ended when Orton’s own tactics backfired.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez explained how the finish and post-match moments all hinted at Orton’s next move.
“Well, yeah, Randy undoes the top turnbuckle. They fought over it. Randy tried the RKO, Cody shoved him into the exposed buckle, hit a Cross Rhodes and got the win.”
But the real story started after the match.
“Aldis and Pearce get in the ring. They give Cody the crown. Byron interviews Cody and as he’s thanking Randy, they cut to Randy in the aisle. And Randy is sneering. He is not happy.”
Despite Rhodes’ respectful words for Orton, the Viper’s body language told a different story.
“Cody said this guy’s a future Hall of Famer. It’s not his last stop here in Saudi Arabia. Give this guy a hand, he says. And then Randy kind of slinks off.”
Rhodes closed out the segment by vowing to win the Undisputed Universal Title at SummerSlam, but Dave Meltzer believes Orton has other plans.
“Obviously they’re setting up Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton for a bigger match with Randy Orton as a heel… I could even see Randy Orton cost Cody the match with Cena if they want to keep Cena as champion for a couple more months.”
Meltzer praised the subtle storytelling and how WWE planted the seeds without making it overly obvious.
“It was very well done, like not overdone to the point of fake… just enough to where it’s there, the seeds are planted. Liked it.”
With the tension building and Orton’s sneer saying more than words ever could, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before The Viper strikes. Whether it happens at SummerSlam or somewhere down the line, Cody Rhodes may have just made himself a target—and Randy Orton is never one to miss when he decides it’s time to bite.
Do you want to see Randy Orton snap and go full heel? Or should WWE drag this out a little longer? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.