Vince McMahon Changed WWE Raw's Main Event On Day Of Show
Randy Orton was originally set for the night's finale.
Vince McMahon had his dastardly eraser out once again this past Monday, with reports suggesting he made major alterations to the show's main event just hours before it hit the air.
At the close of the episode, The OC trio of AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson bested Humberto Carrillo, Ricochet, & Rey Mysterio. After the match - which ended with Styles hitting a second-rope Styles Clash on Ricochet - Randy Orton intruded, catching the Phenomenal One with his patented RKO.
According to Dave Meltzer, writing in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the original plan was for Orton, not US Champ Rey, to team with Carrillo and Ricochet. The match was apparently altered during a producer's meeting so that veteran Randy would not be teamed with a pair of babyfaces.
The boss also wanted Orton to hit Styles with his trademark 'RKO outta nowhere' - which necessitated the OC man first celebrating a victory. Given the company is trying to protect Mysterio - just about one of their only effective faces - Ricochet was the man selected to eat the pin.