Randy Orton has finally broken his silence and confirmed his WWE return, ending months of speculation by revealing he will be back for SmackDown on January 30, 2026, and the Royal Rumble on January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His comeback will unfold on one of WWE’s biggest international stages, as the 2026 Royal Rumble becomes the first “Big Four” event held outside North America.
The Viper Speaks: “I’ll See You at the Royal Rumble”
Orton’s return news didn’t come via a dramatic in-ring segment, but through a simple promotional video that quickly went viral in the wrestling world.
While in Saudi Arabia to promote the 2026 Royal Rumble, Orton appeared in a TikTok video shared by Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority. In the clip, Orton looks straight into the camera and delivers the line fans have been waiting on for months:
“This is Randy Orton with the WWE. I am at The Grove and I just wanna remind everybody that tickets are still on sale for the Royal Rumble, coming here to Riyadh at the end of January, and tickets are still on sale for SmackDown too… I will see you at the Royal Rumble or I will see you at SmackDown.”That last part is the kicker: there’s no “maybe,” no tease — just a
flat-out confirmation he will be there.
WWE Makes It Official: SmackDown Return Locked In
Not long after the video surfaced, WWE-backed advertising and international wrestling outlets started locking in the details.
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Randy Orton is officially advertised for the January 30, 2026 episode of Friday Night SmackDown in Riyadh, the final show before the Royal Rumble.
- The show will be held in the KAFD Financial District in Riyadh and is positioned as the
go-home SmackDown before the Rumble premium live event the next night.
- Promotional posters for that SmackDown in Saudi Arabia feature Orton
front and center, alongside names like Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Jade Cargill, and Aleister Black.
One German outlet notes that this updated advertising
ends weeks of confusion, after Orton had previously been promoted for a December appearance and then quietly not used.
Why Orton Has Been Off TV Since October
Orton’s upcoming return closes the book on a rough stretch for the veteran in late 2025.
His last WWE appearance came on the
October 3, 2025 episode of SmackDown. There, he teamed with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes against Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker, both part of the heel stable
The Vision.
What happened next wrote him off TV for months:
- Seth Rollins ran in from the crowd and hit Orton with a Stomp.
- Bronson Reed followed with his devastating
Tsunami splash, leading to a pinfall loss and a brutal post-match beatdown.
- Reed then delivered
multiple Tsunami splashes, leaving Orton laid out and providing the storyline explanation for his absence.
The loss capped a frustrating run of defeats for Orton in 2025, including:
- A tag match at SummerSlam where he teamed with country star
Jelly Roll and came up short.
- A singles loss to
Drew McIntyre on SmackDown.
- Other high-profile defeats that had pushed him out of the main-event spotlight.
Since returning from a serious back injury at Survivor Series WarGames in November 2023, Orton has been working as a
fan-favorite babyface, but 2025 saw him more in supporting storylines than atop the card.
The Road to Riyadh: Personal Life and Off-Screen Spotlight
While he’s been absent from TV, Orton hasn’t completely vanished from public view.
- He recently celebrated his
10th wedding anniversary with wife Kim Orton, sharing photos from a family trip to Belize that made the rounds among wrestling fans.
- Kim Orton has also stayed visible through media and podcast appearances, with several outlets spotlighting the couple’s combined profile and finances.
A Times of India feature this year put Randy Orton’s
net worth at around $15 million, citing his long-standing top-tier WWE contracts, merchandise sales, and media exposure, while noting Kim’s own media work and business ventures as part of their financial picture.
Meanwhile, speculation intensified when Orton was
noticeably absent from John Cena’s retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. According to a report shared by Sportskeeda, Orton was not in the United States at the time, as he was involved in promotional work for WWE in Saudi Arabia — the same trip where he would go on to confirm his Rumble weekend return.
Why This Return Matters So Much
On paper, this is just another big name added to a stacked international card. In reality, it’s a potential
pivot point for WWE’s early 2026 storytelling.
Here’s why Orton’s return is such a big deal:
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Star power for a historic showThe 2026 Royal Rumble in Riyadh will be the
first time a Big Four WWE event takes place outside North America, a major tentpole of the Riyadh Season entertainment calendar.
Having a 14-time world champion like Orton on the card adds both credibility and nostalgia value.
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Unfinished business with The VisionOrton was last seen getting dismantled by Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, and Seth Rollins, all aligned with The Vision stable.
That attack creates an easy, high-impact hook the moment his music hits: does he go straight for revenge?
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A Rumble wildcardWWE has not yet confirmed Orton’s role at the Rumble itself — entrant, featured match, or surprise twist — only that he will be
there in Riyadh for the weekend.
Multiple outlets, including SEScoops and others, have speculated for weeks that the Rumble would be the
most likely stage for his in-ring return. Now, that scenario looks more likely than ever, even if the exact match is still under wraps.
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Veteran presence on a shifting rosterOrton’s babyface run since late 2023 has helped bridge eras between veteran names and the newer generation WWE is building around.
With rising stars like Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, and others being heavily featured, plugging Orton back into the mix gives WWE flexibility: he can be a Rumble favorite, a credible challenger, or a veteran kingmaker to elevate someone new.
What Fans Should Watch For Next
As WWE barrels toward Rumble weekend in Riyadh, here are the big storylines and questions circling around Randy Orton’s comeback:
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Who does he target first?Does Orton walk into SmackDown on January 30 and call out Bronson Reed or Bron Breakker? Or does he save that strike for the Rumble match itself?
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Is there a WrestleMania path here?The Royal Rumble is the unofficial start of the
Road to WrestleMania. A deep Rumble run — or a shocking win — could instantly thrust Orton back into world title territory for spring 2026.
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What version of Orton shows up?Since 2023, he’s been a clear babyface. But this is Randy Orton — the man built his legacy as
The Legend Killer and
The Viper. A big international stage, simmering grudges, and high stakes are exactly the ingredients for a character twist, even if nothing has been reported yet to that effect.
If there’s one thing history tells us, it’s this: when Orton announces
“I’ll see you at the Royal Rumble,” he usually has more in mind than just a quick cameo.
Fans now have a date, a city, and a promise. The only thing left is to watch what The Viper decides to strike at first.
Sources
1. Randy Orton Confirms Date for WWE Return Amid ...
2. Randy Orton Finally Confirms WWE Return At Huge Show
3. Randy Orton kehrt zurück: SmackDown-Auftritt für 2026 ...
4. Randy Orton Reaches Out To WWE Fans While Away From ...
5. Update zu den Plänen für Randy Orton – Infos zur Identität ...
6. Randy Orton and Kim Orton combined net worth in 2025
7. Reason Randy Orton Skipped John Cena's Retirement Match
8. Randy Orton teases WWE return while hyping Royal Rumble
9. Randy Orton Drops Bombshell Announcement About WWE ...
10. Potential Randy Orton Return Date Revealed
