Whether as a heel or as a face, Randy Orton works. He’s a draw where he goes and regardless of his role. Orton’s a proven commodity who can elevate mid-card titles and make them look like the top belts and he can go toe-to-toe with the best of them, hence, the nickname, Apex Predator. But, as fans continue to speculate when Randy Orton will return and what’s his next move in his comeback, Rhea Ripley threw the name of her dominant faction, The Judgment Day, into the mix.
The Judgment Day is causing quite the commotion within its dominance in the arena. After booting the group’s founder, Edge, The Judgment Day’s ascent has not slowed down one bit. Its commanding mix of powerhouses like Señor Money in the Bank, Damian Priest, Finn Balor, and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio, as well as the main headliner, MAMI herself, has begun showing signs of growing into a force that could reshape the WWE landscape if it already hasn’t. Already, the grow has two champions in Ripley, who hasn’t suffered a loss in over a year, and Mysterio, who recently became the NXT North American Champion.
Now, Ripley wants to make sure that The Judgment Day continues to dominate for years to come, and one way of doing so is, not to inject fresh blood, but to bring in The Legend Killer.
When MAMI was asked about her choice for the newest member of The Judgment Day in a recent interview, she didn’t hesitate. “I mean there are a lot of people I’ll choose, but this one person, social media keeps throwing at me, hoping that they would come and put me in my place. So my choice would be Randy Orton because ain’t no one here with MAMI who can RKO. MAMI is always right and MAMI is always on top. Randy Orton would be part of my Judgement day and he would be a step below MAMI!”
Randy Orton, the eleven-time WWE World Champion, was last seen in May 2022 in a losing effort against The Usos, teaming up with Matt Riddle. His wrestling career has been on hiatus since then due to recovery from back fusion surgery. But one can’t deny the rumbling excitement that Orton’s return could stir, particularly if he aligns with The Judgement Day.
Orton’s addition to The Judgment Day wouldn’t be his first time working with a faction. He was an integral part of arguably the most important group in the early 2000s, Evolution, where he teamed up with “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, “The Animal” Batista, and Triple H. This tenure gifted him his first championship, the Intercontinental Championship, and later held the World Heavyweight Championship, making him the youngest world champion in WWE history. He was also part of “Legacy” with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr, ‘The Authority’ with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, and the Wyatt Family, always showing his true colors and carving his own path.
The success of WWE factions such as DX, Evolution, and more modern examples like New Day, underlines the potential of Judgment Day. They offer a spotlight for lesser-known talents to shine, provide a much-needed boost to the tag-team scene, and reinvigorate storylines.
The Judgment Day is a testament to WWE’s willingness to re-embrace the faction concept, especially with The Bloodline in a precarious position as Jey Uso takes on Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.
Rhea Ripley’s boldness in challenging male superstars, coupled with Orton’s history of interacting with female wrestlers, suggests a potentially intriguing dynamic in the offing. As The Judgement Day gains momentum, with Ripley at the helm, Orton’s addition could turn the faction into an absolute powerhouse. The Eradicator has been on a tear, including winning the Royal Rumble and the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39.
Should Randy Orton step into the WWE ring again and join The Judgement Day, it could mark a seismic shift in the WWE landscape if only because we know what’s coming next – an RKO to every other member of the group once he inevitably turns on them.
