Randy Orton made his return to SmackDown last Friday, and while many speculated that he could be involved in the finish between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre, WWE chose to go in a different direction.
Orton was confronted by Trick Williams, setting up a feud that will likely run through the Royal Rumble PLE at the end of the month.
It's very easy to see the logic behind this storyline. Williams should be an ascending presence on SmackDown, and needs a feud to truly put him on the main-event radar. A program with Orton certainly will check that box, and by the end of it Williams should be elevated.
The problem is that WWE seems to be setting to the side the angle they've been building toward with Orton.
This current version of Orton's character has grown stale. He's the veteran who mostly gets the assignment of putting over younger talent, and when he has been involved in the main-event picture it's often been as Cody Rhodes' sidekick.
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Like with Roman Reigns' Wrestlemania 42 plans, the decision to put the title on McIntyre may have interfered with Orton's story. Throughout the past year, the expectation was that Orton's constant support of Rhodes would eventually lead to a heel turn.
All while Rhodes held the WWE championship, the company wasn't shy to lean into Orton's desire for the belt. The Apex Predator could be seen eyeing the championship unbeknownst to Rhodes. It seemed like there was a clear path to a patented Orton heel turn followed by a feud with his former ally.
If that was the plan, it seems to be on hold now while Rhodes likely continues his storyline with McIntyre. It seems inevitable that we do get to the point where Orton, as a heel, confronts Rhodes, but there doesn't appear to be any immediate plans for that.
Credit WWE for putting Williams on a clear path to a large role on SmackDown, and his development should be one of their top priorities this year. That being said, Orton's moment from last SmackDown speaks to the creative being in their own way. They made the right decision in giving McIntyre the belt, but true to form, they had no plans in place for everything else it impacted, including where to go next with Orton.