Randy Orton is a household name in WWE, and not seeing him perform on weekly televsion doesn’t feel right. The Viper was out of action due to a back injury he sustained on the May 20, 2022, episode of SmackDown, where he and Matt Riddle lost to The Usos in a win take all Unification match.
The veteran was supposed to compete with Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed World Championship at SummerSlam later that year, but his back injury forced the company to pull those plans. The Tribal Chief ended up defending his title against Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match at the July 30 Premium Live event.
Randy Orton’s injury has already cost him months of watching TV. Viper has had back surgery, but his doctors are concerned that Orton’s medical condition could worsen if he chooses to return to the squared circle.
The 43-year-old superstar has been a mainstay in WWE for a long time, and his continued absence could force Triple H to find a replacement.
With that in mind, we think these five Superstars have what it takes to fill The Viper’s place and carry WWE for years to come.
#1. Matt Riddle could replace Randy Orton
Matt Riddle’s association with Randy Orton has marked the team’s glory on multiple occasions. The Viper said the Original Bro revitalized his career. However, Orton’s sudden hiatus from WWE TV affected Riddle greatly. This, along with real-life controversies, is apparently causing trouble behind the scenes for the former United States Champion.
Matt Riddle is the most obvious choice to replace Orton, given his previous association with a 14-time world champion.
The former UFC fighter was drafted to RAW as part of the WWE Draft 2023. Riddle is a great performer who can get great matches on the main roster. However, his gimmick needs a bit of a revamp in order to excel in his solo career.
#2. Grayson Waller
Those who are used to watching WWE NXT know how good Grayson Waller is on the microphone. The arrogant Australian was arguably the top heel in NXT before he was recruited to SmackDown. Blue Brand is set to see the effect of Grayson Waller next Friday.
Waller’s mic skills and solid abilities make him a good option to replace Randy Orton on the main roster. His natural heel appeal allows him to play mind games with his opponents, similar to what Orton used to do during his famous heel run in 2009.
#3. Cody Rhodes
Randy Orton was a huge influence on Cody Rhodes during his rookie years in WWE. Snake was instrumental in shaping young Cody’s career during their time together on The Legacy.
The American Nightmare is arguably the most important babyface in WWE not named Seth Rollins. He’s also someone WWE can trust to drive merchandise and ticket sales for the next 10 years.
Finally, his connection to his former mentor makes him a viable option for a locker room captain just like Orton.
#4. Dominic Mysterio
Dominic Mysterio is without a doubt the most hated man in WWE right now. Don’t believe us. Just check out the reaction of the Fort Worth (TX) crowd to him cutting a promo on the May 1, 2023 episode of Monday Night RAW.
Dominic’s heel turn has done wonders for his WWE career. The 26-year-old RAW Superstar continues to excel in his role. If this hold holds, the Judgment Day member will soon become one of the top superstars on the list and make a name for himself, much like Randy Orton did after his split from Evolution in 2004.
# 5. Montes Ford
Montez Ford is widely recognized as the ultimate street earning star. Having said that, Ford has yet to start a solo run in his WWE career. However, that didn’t stop him from giving amazing performances week after week.
Ford was the MVP of the men’s Elimination Chamber match in February 2023. The former RAW Tag Team Champion has all it takes to be a superstar in WWE.
It remains to be seen when Triple H will give him his long overdue big break and possibly make him the one to replace Randy Orton.
Who would you choose to replace Randy Orton? Tell us in the comments section below.
The current star says he almost got the rights to use Hulk Hogan’s entrance theme. More details here