WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Could Randy Orton Win Again?
By Sarah Hirsch
Randy Orton’s win at the Royal Rumble last year was one of the highlights in a slow burn storyline with Bray Wyatt.
The win served a purpose that benefitted both men en route to WrestleMania. After the feud almost derailed with the now infamous House of Horrors match, Orton would then go on to feud with Jinder Mahal. That feud pulled off one of WWE’s most shocking moments in 2017 with Mahal dethroning the WWE Champion at Backlash. Mahal had a considerable run with the Championship until AJ Styles won it from him back in November on Smackdown.
Since then, Orton has been involved with various storylines with no long-term play out. After a big bang to the start of 2017, Orton has more or less has stepped into the shadows once SummerSlam happened. Perhaps we have already started to see Orton fall back. Considering his WWE run has lasted just as long as John Cena’s, Orton has indeed deserved a lighter schedule.
Prior to the start of the new year, Orton declared his participation in this Royal Rumble. The question of Orton winning the Rumble again certainly arises. Nonetheless, Orton made his intentions known on Tuesday’s Smackdown that he is no fluke in last year’s Rumble win. Even the commentary team posed the question of Orton winning the Rumble once more after his surprise RKO’s on Shinsuke Nakamura and Baron Corbin. The RKO has proven devastating enough that Orton could have the upper hand regardless of the odds in the Rumble.
While winning the Rumble can certainly happen, given his decreasing involvement on Smackdown the possibility seems minute at best. Of course, he will be involved in WrestleMania somehow, but in what context in terms of storyline is up in the air. I wouldn’t mind seeing him versus AJ Styles on a WrestleMania stage, don’t get me wrong. However, it is widely believed that fans could see Styles take on Nakamura in New Orleans. That’s not to say Orton’s time is up, because it’s nowhere near that point.
With that being said, he’s still a big name and draw to the Smackdown brand. Having the lighter schedule makes his appearances have that much more impact while still bringing ample contribution to the blue brand. Again, Orton will have a role at WrestleMania, but with who is yet to be determined. It’s a matter of how the next few weeks play out between the Rumble and the fallout of that. He may be slowing down, but he’s not done just yet. He has helped put over both Wyatt and Mahal in the biggest moments of their careers thus far. That really says a lot despite the turnout of their reigns.
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It has always been about “less is more” for Orton. The Rumble this year is no exception. If anything else, we just may know what could be in store for him for WrestleMania.