Randy Orton Makes WWE Return at Survivor Series

On WWE RAW this week, Cody Rhodes revealed to fans that the fifth member on their WarGames team is none other than the Apex Predator, Randy Orton. Orton has been sidelined from wrestling since May of 2022 when he suffered an injury to his back after a match with Matt Riddle against the Usos for the WWE Tag Team Championships. In November of last year Fightful Select reported that Orton had undergone fusion surgery on his lower back.

All night it seemed as if Orton wouldn't be showing up for the scheduled match at all. As the PLE inched closer and closer to the main event, members of Rhodes' team became increasingly nervous. They begin the match as normal but Rhodes' team is outnumbered by the time Dominik Mysterio enters the match. They toy with Mysterio, kicking him down, throwing him into the steel cage and attempting to utilize the table. Rhea Ripley runs to the ring with the contract for Damian Priest to cash in but the attempt is thwarted. Orton's music hits and the Allstate Arena erupts into a thunderous applause. Orton enters the cage alongside his teammates Rhodes, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn and Jey Uso against The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre. 

Team Rhodes did stereo vintage Orton DDT's and each member did their signature move -- the Cody Cutter, the Helluva Kick, Uso Splash and the RKO. Rhodes and Orton did a call back to their days in Legacy, as Orton passed Mysterio to Rhodes to hit him with a Cody Cutter. 

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames Results:

• Women's World Championship Match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs Zoey Stark
• Intercontinental Championship Match: Gunther (c) vs The Miz
• Men's WarGames Match: Judgement Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, and JD McDonagh) and Drew McIntyre vs Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, and Randy Orton
• Women's WarGames Match: Damage CTRL (IYO SKY, Bayley, Kairi Sane, and Asuka) vs Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Shotzi, and Becky Lynch
• Dragon Lee vs Santos Escobar