Randy Orton defeated Sami Zayn on SmackDown this week. He advanced to the finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Meanwhile, Jey Uso is set to face Cody Rhodes on this week’s Raw to determine the other finalist. Recently, Orton shared his thoughts on the upcoming match, revealing who he’d prefer to face in the finals between Uso and Rhodes.
During the SummerSlam Kickoff Show, Orton expressed his respect for both Jey and Cody as competitors. However, he admitted that he’d prefer to see The American Nightmare in the finals over The Yeet Man. Orton explained his reasoning by saying he considered Rhodes like a brother, making it even more meaningful to defeat him on the road to capturing his 15th WWE world title.
The former WWE Champion expressed his best wishes for both semifinalists, hoping they would continue to succeed and reach even greater heights in WWE. However, he made it clear to the WWE Universe that he’s determined to become a 15-time world champion. And to keep that promise, Orton knew he would have to shatter someone else’s dream at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia.
“He’s a brother. I’ve said this multiple times: I love him like a brother. But I have also said a few times I will do whatever it takes to get to John Cena, beat John Cena, and get number 15 around my waist. It’s a very hard question to answer, but if I gotta beat Jey or Cody, I’m gonna go ahead and call it Cody how about we do that? I’d like to beat Cody.”
Randy Orton at SummerSlam Kickoff event
Moreover, The Legend Killer echoed a similar sentiment on SmackDown. Before defeating Zayn, Orton assured him that his time as world champion would come—but not at SummerSlam, as he planned to take that opportunity for himself. With his eyes locked on the King of the Ring finals, the 14-time world champion appears more determined than ever.
Randy Orton Believes Cody Rhodes Changed the Industry After Leaving WWE
Cody Rhodes left WWE in 2016 to bet on himself by venturing into the independent wrestling circuit. He competed in various promotions, including RevPro and ROH, before co-founding AEW alongside The Elite. However, in 2022, the former WWE champ made a monumental return to WWE to reshape the landscape of professional wrestling.
Recently, Orton praised The American Nightmare for his bold and courageous decision to leave the company in pursuit of something greater. During the SummerSlam Kickoff event, the Apex Predator thanked Rhodes for elevating the professional wrestling industry forever.
“Cody’s been doing his thing. He left, changed the entire industry for the better in my opinion and we thank him for it.”
Randy Orton on Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam Kickoff event
The Viper claimed that no one could replicate the impact Rhodes had made since his return to WWE. Orton stated that Cody truly deserved all the success he’s achieved. He even called him the rightful “quarterback” of the company, not just for now, but for the years to come.