3 Reasons why Randy Orton should beat Cody Rhodes in the WWE King of the Ring final

The go-home edition of WWE RAW saw the King of the Ring semi-final match between Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. The American Nightmare punched the ticket for the KOTR finals at the Night of Champions Premium Live Event after beating the Main Event Uso at the main event.

Cody Rhodes will face Randy Orton in the 2025 King of the Ring Tournament finals, and the winner will get the KOTR crown and a title bout at SummerSlam. The former is the favourite to capture the win at the Night of Champions Premium Live Event, and Randy Orton is a massive underdog. However, if The Viper somehow gets lucky and wins, it will serve as one of the most shocking outcomes.

In this listicle, we will look at three reasons why Randy Orton should beat Cody Rhodes at Night of Champions 2025.

#1. Unfinished business with John Cena

Randy Orton and John Cena faced each other at Backlash 2025 Premium Live Event in a “One Last Time” bout at The Viper’s hometown of St. Louis. Cena managed to beat Randy Orton in his hometown.

However, the match ended in chaos as R-Truth interfered mid-way. While the bout was billed as their last, the ending was controversial, leaving some unfinished business. The Ruthless Aggression era legends could fight in an “End of an Era” match at the Biggest Party of Summer.

#2. Sets the stage for Cody Rhodes’ WWE heel turn

In a recent interview with Kay Adams at the Fanatic Fest, former Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes discussed his potential heel turn in the WWE. He stated that he might follow The Rock’s lead and turn evil.

If The American Nightmare does end up losing at Night of Champions 2025 to his former mentor Randy Orton in a shocking outcome, it would be a perfect opportunity for him to turn heel and kick off a long-term feud with The Viper.

#3. Most unpredictable outcome

Cody Rhodes winning the King of the Ring 2025 and setting up a WrestleMania rematch against John Cena for the first-ever two-night SummerSlam is indeed the most predictable plot that the company is working towards.

However, under Triple H’s creative regime, WWE is known for crafting some shocking outcomes. With Randy Orton nailing a win at KOTR, the Stamford-based promotion might set a standard for sensational results, and may set a triple threat featuring Orton, Cena, and Rhodes.

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Edited by Angana Roy