Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt are the two remaining main-event caliber talents yet to come back to the WWE from injury. Seth Rollins and John Cena returned within the last month and immediately were inserted into top feuds to build to the upcoming Money In The Bank pay-per-view, and perhaps beyond. Wyatt may be back as soon as this coming Monday night for RAW in New Orleans, with unconfirmed rumors floating around that he’ll be inserted into the Money in the Bank ladder match with the other six participants. That leaves Orton as the final piece at the top-of-the-card puzzle.
Orton has been out of action since last September thanks to a severe shoulder injury. He was part of the major players disabled list that included Cena, Rollins, Sting, Cesaro, and to some extent, Wyatt, who were unable to compete in matches at WrestleMania . The Viper had just began a feud with the Wyatt Family when his injury forced him to the sidelines, with the Wyatts gaining credit, storyline wise, for taking out Orton.
At the time of his injury, it made sense that he’d exact his revenge upon returning, but his extended absence forced the WWE to call an audible multiple times. And though Orton was attacked by one group, he may be coming back to take out an entirely different heel faction. According to Yibada, Randy Orton will targetThe Club for his first feud back in WWE, whenever that may be. As noted, the top program that Cena was placed into is one with AJ Styles. Styles turned heel on Memorial Day, in memorable fashion, attacking Cena alongside Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.
Orton still may very well be on the shelf for another month or two, so WWE officials are starting things off with Cena and Styles in a singles match at Money In The Bank . There have been internal debates as to how far to take this feud, with many feeling that it should last up until SummerSlam . If Anderson and Gallows continue to make it an unfair fight (aside from their tag team title program) and are persistent with Styles in being a thorn in Cena’s side, John may eventually need an ally to help even the odds.
Enter Randy Orton. Whether an Orton return and subsequent insertion into the Cena/Styles/Club angle results in a pay-per-view payoff remains to be seen, as that will be heavily contingent on when Orton can actually resume wrestling. Plus, there are many within WWE creative pushing for a SummerSlammega-match between only Cena and Styles. That event is still two-and-a-half months away though, and Orton may or may not be ready to come back for the proper build before then.
From a storyline perspective, there is an easy tie-in. Cena and Orton represent the old guard of the WWE, refusing to relinquish the stranglehold they’ve had over the top of the card for more than a decade. Styles and The Club blend their around-the-world experience with this new era of stars looking to turn the page on those that ushered in the Ruthless Aggression era. But Orton has been on the tip of The Club’s tongues as of late in media appearances as well. Styles listed Cena and Orton as his top two WWE measuring sticks when first signing. And last week, Karl Anderson claimed that Orton was his number one dream opponent now that he finally made it to the sports entertainment empire.
There’d be plenty of star-power in this potential angle, but the likelihood of it getting booked is all dependent on Orton coming back in time to make it work, or, of course, if there are other Wyatt-related plans already planned for his return.
[Image via WWE]