During a recent interview, WWE Superstar Kevin Owens spoke about why he is happy Randy Orton has returned to WWE. He also revealed his honest feelings on CM Punk being back in WWE once again. This past weekend at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames, the WWE Universe saw the return of the Legend Killer and future Hall of Famer, Randy Orton. In late May 2022, Orton suffered a back injury during a match with The Usos. The injury put him on the shelf for over a year.
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Orton made his return during the Men’s WarGames match this past Saturday at the premium live event. Cody Rhodes hinted at calling someone to fill the final spot on his team, with WWE later confirming it was Orton. However, when match time came, Orton mysteriously wasn’t there. However, when Rhodes’ team was down and defeated, Orton made his big return in true babyface fashion.
During a recent interview with James Williams, Owens talked about how exciting it is to see Orton back in WWE. Owens stated the following:
“I love Randy. I’m so happy he’s back and he’s much-needed. To me, having him around in the locker room is an absolute positive. Besides the fact that he’s a fantastic performer and he’s a legend, there’s some people that are just good to have around. He’s good to have around.
He’s good for the morale. There are people now, which is what I love about our locker room currently, that are leaders without saying, ‘I’m a leader.’ They don’t need to [say it], they just are. Randy’s one of them, so when he’s around, everybody just steps up their game just because Randy Orton is here, and I love that.”
H/T To Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
Randy Orton Brings His Legacy Back to WWE
Randy Orton is one of the last legends in WWE who is working a full-time schedule. The only other one that comes to mind is Rey Mysterio. John Cena, The Rock and Undertaker only make special appearances from time to time, and The Undertaker retired from in-ring competition a while ago. Orton brings a copious amount of knowledge and experience for the roster, and he’s a guy who can help elevate his opponents.
Randy Orton has been part of WWE since 2002. Early in his WWE run, he joined the prestigious faction known as Evolution. When starting your career in a faction with Triple H and Ric Flair, one might assume they can only go down from there, but that was not the case with Orton. He has since won every championship in WWE and is a 14-time World Champion.
Before being injured he was the WWE Raw Tag Team champion along with the now-released Matt Riddle. Currently, Orton seems to be engaged in a feud with The Judgement Day. It will be interesting to see if he returns to tag team wrestling to take on The Judgement Day or if he will remain a singles competitor.
As big as Orton’s return to WWE was, an even bigger return happened later in the match with CM Punk returning to WWE for the first time in nearly 10 years. Owens also spoke about what he thinks of the controversial CM Punk returning to WWE during his interview with Williams. Owens continued, “I just want to have fun at work, so if he’s [CM Punk] got that mindset, great.”
The Wrestling World Is Divided on CM Punk’s WWE Return
Punk’s WWE return has created a lot of excitement, but it’s also created controversy and dissent among fans. The most vocal critic of his return is certainly Seth Rollins. After Punk came out Rollins could be seen yelling and swearing at Punk. It should be noted that multiple sources are reporting that Rollins was playing things up for the cameras.
Not to mention, the next night on WWE Raw, Rollins insulted Punk, calling him a “hypocrite.” That would more than likely suggests that Rollins’ behavior regarding Punk is an on-air angle. There are also rumors suggesting that there are mixed feelings regarding Punk’s return backstage in WWE. Based on Owens’ statement, it seems that he also has reservations about Punk’s return.
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Owens is currently on SmackDown. He was suspended after a run-in with Grayson Waller and Austin Theory. He will get his revenge on Waller on this week’s SmackDown.
What did you think of Orton’s return? What do you think he adds to the roster and WWE? Do you think he should return to the tag division or go solo? Do you think his return will make his peers step up their game? Does Orton’s return cancel out any negativity Punk’s return may bring? Let us know who you would like to see Randy Orton wrestle because the landscape of WWE has changed so much since he was injured. Let us know your thoughts on The Illuminerdi’s social media.
SOURCE: James Williams, Wrestling Inc.
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