Randy Orton

Summary

This was a WrestleMania main event in every sense of the word—big entrances, big stakes, and two guys who know each other way too well trying to outthink and outlast the other. Cody Rhodes came in as champion with the weight of the moment fully on him, while Randy Orton looked like a man who’s spent years building toward one more shot at the top, not wasting a second once the bell was close to ringing. Even before things officially settled, Pat McAfee injected chaos into the situation, turning what should’ve been a clean start into a messy, high-stakes brawl right out of the gate. Once it finally stabilized, the match delivered on the expectations—heavy strategy, targeted offense, and both men constantly trying to bait mistakes out of the other. Orton zeroed in on Cody’s back with vintage precision—DDTs, powerslams, and methodical pressure—while Cody answered with speed bursts, Disaster Kicks, and his own calculated attacks on Orton’s durability. Both men kept stealing momentum and finishers from each other, with CrossRhodes and RKO attempts getting countered or reversed at key moments, keeping the crowd fully invested in every near-fall. Then everything unraveled in classic WrestleMania fashion. Ref bump, eye rakes, low blows, and McAfee getting involved again just to eat an RKO for his troubles. Orton still managed to land an RKO in the chaos, but the distraction swung the door open just enough for Cody to hit CrossRhodes and retain in 22:40. After the match, Orton didn’t accept the result—he stole the title, used it as a weapon, and capped things off with a Punt

Summary

This one was pretty straightforward, even if it started with a little spark. Cardona came out swinging early, even cracking Orton with a microphone to get some payback from last week, but that just woke the Viper up. Orton slowed things down quickly, targeting the already injured arm and turning the match into a methodical beatdown. Cardona tried to fight through it and had a couple bursts of offense, but it never really felt like he had a real shot. Orton stayed in control, picked his spots, and eventually dropped him with an RKO to finish it clean. It did exactly what it needed to—Orton looked dangerous, Cardona looked tough for surviving as long as he did, but also clearly outmatched.

Summary

kicked off with Cody Rhodes and Je’Von Evans starting things inside the unforgiving steel structure. Early on, Trick Williams’ entrance added chaos as he immediately targeted both men with hard strikes and threw them around the ring, showcasing his speed and aggression. When Logan Paul entered next, he became the early focal point — his opponents ganged up and hurled him through a pod before scrambling back into the fray. As the match accelerated with LA Knight’s arrival, the competition spilled to the top of the pods and the unforgiving walls of the Chamber. Knight delivered his signature BFT on Williams from the top of a pod, electrifying the crowd, while Orton — the final entrant — methodically cut through the field with cold-blooded precision once his pod opened. Throughout the bout, bodies were smashed into the steel, with big moves and near-eliminations keeping the tempo high. Alliances of convenience formed briefly — only to break apart — and every competitor scored some momentum with impactful offense. Despite spirited offense from Rhodes and Knight, Orton used his veteran instincts to time his counters perfectly, delivering multiple RKOs “outta nowhere” at key moments inside the structure. In the final stretch, Orton withstood a barrage of offense, fought off multiple opponents at once, and found openings to hit decisive strikes. When it was down to the wire, his calculated aggression paid off: he capitalized on a wear-down sequence to hit a crushing RKO on his final opponent, pinning him inside the steel and becoming the last Superstar standing in the match. With that win, Orton punched his ticket to face the Undisputed WWE Champion at WrestleMania 42, continuing his chase for a historic 15th world title.

Summary

In the featured matchup on SmackDown, longtime WWE veteran Randy Orton clashed with striking specialist Aleister Black in a hard-fought singles encounter that blended power offense with high-impact kicks and counters. Orton’s experience showed as he weathered Black’s early flurry of strikes and kept the contest grounded with methodical, calculated attacks. Black repeatedly fired back with his trademark precise boot and Muay Thai-style offense, forcing Orton to adapt throughout the bout. The match ends with Orton on the outside and Drew McIntyre striking him in the head with the belt. A stunned Randy rolls into the ring and gets hit with a Black Mass as Aleistar Black gets the three count!

Summary

Randy Orton competed against Solo Sikoa and Aleister Black in a Triple Threat match to qualify for the 2026 Elimination Chamber match. The competitors traded finishers and near-falls, with Orton hitting the RKO to secure the pin and punch his ticket into the Chamber. This result continued Orton’s chase for another world title opportunity on the road to WrestleMania.