Randy Orton Turns on Cody Rhodes and Changes WrestleMania Picture
The Sporting Tribune
Host · Writer
Going into Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes were two good friends, just happy to be facing each other in a potential WrestleMania main event.
After the episode, Randy sat in the middle of the ring, obsessively holding the WWE title. On the outside, the medical team tended to Rhodes as his lifeless body lay between the announcer’s table and the steel steps, bloodied to a pulp. The crowd was silent, shocked at what they had just witnessed.
That’s right, the voices finally got to Orton, and they were loud, leading him to turn on his one-time best friend Rhodes, making this road to WrestleMania a whole lot more interesting.
It started as a respectful contract signing between the two, with Cody saying Randy was the only person he had when he returned to the WWE. Randy then pump-faked, signing the contract before telling Cody how much he needed the title and that it was supposed to be Drew he was facing, not Cody.
Rhodes then cut him off, and told Randy how once the bell rings, he’ll get to face a dangerous Orton, the Legend Killer, the one that the WWE Universe knows and loves. He then ended his speech by saying, “I’ll always love you”.
The Viper then decided he wouldn’t wait until the bell rang. After signing the contract, he smashed Cody’s head into the table, kicked him in the crown jewels, and began his onslaught.
Cody vs Randy was always going to be more interesting with one of them as a heel; there is just more of a story to be told than two best friends going at it for fun.
Of course, it would’ve been great to see Rhodes turn heel for a change, as we’ve now seen The Rock, John Cena, and Orton turn to face him at Mania, but still, this makes the match and their upcoming promo battles far more intriguing.
Just a week after the wrestling world was set off by Rhodes beating McIntyre for the title, it seems that it has all been forgotten now. The WWE knew what it was doing and executed perfectly, as the eyes of the wrestling world are now fixated on the two massive WrestleMania events: Reigns vs. Punk and Cody vs. a devious Randy Orton.
