7 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (27 Nov - Results & Review)

4. Daddy’s Back

If CM Punk wasn’t going to open Raw Monday night, the only other person who could have successfully led off the show without being drowned out by “CM Punk” chants was Randy Orton.

The Viper returned to WWE at Survivor Series after a year-and-a-half on the shelf and he drank in the cheers, seeming to really appreciate being back after such a long layoff. It’s not in Orton’s nature to be cheerful and grateful to the fans, so that was a nice touch. He said he wanted to be part of history and compete in WarGames, so joining Cody Rhodes’ team helped check an item off his bucket list.

But the most interesting part of his promo came when Orton said he had unfinished business with the Bloodline – “every single member” of the group. That was a strong hint that Jey Uso might be in the crosshairs, even despite him telling Jey they were cool later on. Never trust a Viper, after all.

Orton sparring with Rhea Ripley was a nice little change of pace, as Mami has made herself the unofficial leader and spokesperson for the Judgment Day, issuing dire warnings and setting the table for the group. Randy of course wasn’t backing down, and that made for a good little standoff.

As far as returns go, this worked in picking up Orton’s loose threads of the Bloodline feud, as well as integrating him into the ongoing Judgment Day saga on Raw.