Randy Orton to turn heel after finally betraying former WWE Champion at Night of Champions? Exploring the possibility

Randy Orton has made it clear that he wants to win his 15th world title in WWE, and he will do it by any means necessary. The Viper once claimed he would RKO his own grandmother if it was necessary for the title. Historically, Orton has never been the one to shy away from pushing boundaries to ensure he stays on top, and we may see another example of it at the upcoming Night of Champions Premium Live Event on June 28.

Randy Orton qualified for the King of the Ring semi-finals on last week's SmackDown. The Viper defeated LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes, and Aleister Black in a Fatal Four-Way match to punch his ticket to battle Sami Zayn in the semi-finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Interestingly, right before the qualifying match on SmackDown, Randy Orton was part of an in-ring segment where he vowed to take out everyone who stood in his path to become a 15-time world champion, including his real-life friend, Cody Rhodes.

This sparked speculation among fans that if Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes made their way to the final of the King of the Ring tournament, The Viper may turn to the dark side and betray The American Nightmare to get another shot at John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam.

In their storied history, Orton and Rhodes have battled alongside and against each other on numerous occasions. Ever since The American Nightmare's return to WWE in 2022, fans have been waiting for Orton and Rhodes to cross paths in a meaningful way. The King of the Ring final could be the perfect stage for The Viper and The American Nightmare to lock horns once again.

Orton has made it clear that he would not hesitate to put down Rhodes, and he may back his words up at Night of Champions. The Viper has done some of the best work of his career as a heel, and a heroic babyface like Cody Rhodes could serve as the perfect catalyst for him to embrace the dark side once again.

The Viper reignited his rivalry with John Cena after WrestleMania 41 and challenged him for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Backlash. After a chaotic bout bombarded with interferences, Cena was able to retain his title. Since the match did not have a clean ending, WWE may run it back at SummerSlam.

Randy Orton could dig deep and bring out his old villainous side to tackle The Franchise Player this time around. It could all begin at Night of Champions, where The Viper may succumb to the voices in his head and betray his long-time friend, Cody Rhodes.

While it could be exciting, it should be noted that this scenario is only speculative at this point. Fans will have to wait and see if Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes are able to qualify for the final of the KOTR tournament.

Former WWE writer comments on Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes qualifying for the KOTR semi-finals

While speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's BroDown, WWE veteran Vince Russo talked about Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton winning their respective qualifiers for the KOTR on SmackDown. The veteran suggested that Rhodes and Orton did not need to win, but since no other stars are over with the fans, WWE was forced to go back to the same people.

"This just goes to show you everything we are talking about. At this point in their careers, where they are on the card, does Randy Orton or Cody Rhodes really need to be winning King of the Ring? This just shows you that nobody is over. They keep going back to the same people," said Russo.

With so many possibilities, it will be interesting to see how the King of the Ring tournament culminates at Night of Champions.

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