The time is now for Cody Rhodes versus Randy Orton

Cody Rhodes successfully defended his WWE Undisputed Championship at WWE Clash at the Castle: Scotland. He made AJ Styles quit but before the celebration could be complete, Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline made their presence felt. Yet, the real threat doesn’t come from that group. The real threat is closer to Rhodes. That man is Randy Orton and the time is upon us for that big feud.

Cody Rhodes versus Randy Orton is a massive match. It’s important because Rhodes’s time with Orton in Legacy decades ago was a formative part of his career. They’ve both been honed for professional wrestling, meant to be the next generation of families who helped craft the industry. Their legacy is real and it includes each other.

But first, there’s work to be done with The Bloodline. While it isn’t a major match for a PLE, do not be surprised if Solo Sikoa, Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga face off against Rhodes, Orton, and Kevin Owens at Money in the Bank. That July PLE is up next and would be the right place for that match. And it would open the door for Orton to strike, setting the stage for a major turn against Rhodes. With SummerSlam on the horizon, Rhodes versus Orton is the right storyline to tell, not only for that show but to set the stage for a multi-month angle between the two men.

Setting up Rhodes versus Orton is also the right call because Rhodes doesn’t have a major foil at this time. SummerSlam is a pillar show on the WWE schedule and there needs to be several big matches to anchor the show. This must be one of them. The thing is, Rhodes’s story with The Bloodline isn’t over, not by a long shot. Especially with Roman Reigns’s big return looming. But do not expect WWE to rush into that angle. That’s a much longer story to tell, especially as there’s a growing prediction that perhaps Roman and Cody will find themselves on the same side.

So that comes back to the potential feud between Cody and Randy. Both men would thrive in this spotlight. The promos leading up to the battle would be amazing, especially with so much history between their families and themselves to pull from. That would only be outdone by the story told within the match. Cody and Randy are excellent storytellers in and out of the ring, and this is the type of stage they were meant to perform on.

WWE is taking a slow approach to its stories. Whether fans like it or not, this change is much better than the creative direction under Vince McMahon. The next big story for Cody Rhodes runs right through Randy Orton. That time is now.