10 Matches WWE Could Have Booked For WrestleMania 38
4. Randy Orton Vs. Riddle
To WWE’s extraordinary credit, RK-Bro has been a revelation for just under a year. Even at RAW’s worst in 2021, the pairing was consistently a highlight (sometimes the only highlight). Now in their second reign as RAW Tag Team Champions, recent months have seen even the usually stoic Orton having the time of his life.
Prolonging the partnership, however, might prove a double-edged sword.
When Alpha Academy upended their initial reign prior to the Royal Rumble, most logically concluded RK-Bro’s inevitable split was imminent. Surely, ‘The Viper’ and ‘The Original Bro’ were gearing up for a head-on collision at WrestleMania. Between rumors of Riddle’s planned Rumble win, involvement in Elimination Chamber and discussions that an Orton feud “could only happen for the WWE Championship”, the match seemed all but locked in.
That is, until Brock Lesnar nuked the Chamber.
After toppling the Academy, Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens to reclaim the gold, RK-Bro seems poised for a WrestleMania defense versus Street Profits and the former champions. However, the alliance’s continuation presents two distinct downsides. First, WrestleMania loses a potential show-stealer between former partners. Secondly, WWE subverting expectations of another Orton heel turn via Riddle planting the knife in ‘The Viper’s back instead would resonate profoundly. ‘The King of Bros’ flipping the switch from scooter doofus to MMA mercenary would likewise be a breath of fresh air.
Can Riddle and Orton maintain their figurative contact high long enough to dissolve at SummerSlam? Or do they burn out just after WrestleMania Backlash?