Randy Orton has been one of WWE’s top stars for decades now, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen The Viper on TV. The former WWE Champion last hasn’t wrestled since the October 3rd episode of Friday Night SmackDown when he teamed with Cody Rhodes to face Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, and no official announcements have been made regarding Orton’s return.
However, it seems that there may be hope for Randy Orton fans as WWE recently released the poster for the final SmackDown before the Royal Rumble which features Orton in a prominent spot. We’ll have to wait and see if The Viper ends up returning at the event, or possibly sooner, but the fact that WWE is featuring him on promotional material is likely a sign that he’s on his way back to TV.
WWE has released a poster for the final SmackDown before the Royal Rumble pic.twitter.com/7jwgytTmya
— Still Real To Us (@stillreal2us) December 10, 2025
Despite the fact that Randy Orton has solidified his place among the top names in WWE he has been left off of some of the company’s biggest events throughout the year. Orton’s booking in 2025 has been heavily criticized among fans to the point where even his wife chimed in to let the wrestling community know she agrees with the criticism.
One way or another WrestleMania season is right around the corner, so it will be interesting to see how Orton is used on the road to WrestleMania 42.