Randy Orton to return on the WWE Raw debut episode on Netflix? Exploring an exclusive report

Randy Orton has been out for weeks following a banned piledriver from Kevin Owens on SmackDown in early November. WWE has ruled him out indefinitely, but he is getting closer to his comeback.

According to an exclusive report from WrestleVotes on Backstage Pass, The Viper should be back by the first premium live event of 2025, the Royal Rumble, which will take place on February 1.

“By the Royal Rumble, you know, if not on February 1st, it’ll be beforehand. So yeah, very soon,” Wrestlevotes said.

What the 14-time world champion will do remains to be seen, but the expectation is that he will get involved in the title match between Kevin Owens and the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at Royal Rumble. Still, the anticipation is that he will not show up when RAW moves to Netflix next Monday, January 6.

Former WWE star says he has unfinished business with Randy Orton

Before going on a singles run, Randy Orton was one-half of the RAW Tag Team Champions in WWE alongside Matt Riddle. The Viper’s injuries derailed the RK-Bro faction, with Matt Riddle eventually leaving the company in September 2023.

Fast-forward to today. Matt Riddle spoke with Developmentally Speaking and said he had unfinished business with the 14-time world champion.

“I wish I would’ve been able to finish the run with Randy. When we first started teaming up, he got COVID and was out for a couple months. He had it really bad. And then with the injuries, he had to take weeks off here and there….RK-Bro has some untied ends, some loose ends if you will, and it would nice to finish that. Even if it’s just me getting punted and I leave, whatever. It’d be nice to put a period at the end of it,” Matt Riddle said. [H/T WrestlingInc.]

Heading to 2025, there are no reports that Matt Riddle will return to WWE anytime soon, so a reunion with Randy Orton is unlikely. On the other hand, The Viper will be back for revenge and will target Kevin Owens, so we will have to wait to see whether Triple H and the WWE creative will have Randy interfere in KO/Cody Rhodes’ title match at the Royal Rumble.