Has the Randy Orton revenge tour begun? Orton, who made a spectacular return at the 25 November Survivor Series: War Games premium live event looks better than ever. He's also let the WWE Universe and his fellow wrestlers know that he's not planning on leaving anytime soon.

He also let the wrestling world know that he has a big bag of receipts for The Bloodline which could be bad news for the wrestlers who (kayfabe) put him out of action for 18 months; Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso. Now that "The Viper" has made it clear he's out for revenge, this has all the makings of a classic. Let's look at how things played out so far and what could be next for "The Apex Predator" and The Bloodline, especially now that he's being advertised for the 1 December SmackDown.

Randy's Reason for Revenge

Orton, whose real-life back and neck problems led to surgery and the very real possibility of a premature retirement has an instant storyline before him. The WWE wrote Orton off TV by having The Bloodline (Roman Reigns along with Jey and Jimmy Uso) lay him out after Randy and Matt Riddle dropped the RAW Tag Team Championship to Jey and Jimmy.

Rumor had it that the WWE was going to have Randy challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Championship sometime over the summer at one of the WWE's PLEs. However, when Orton's back and neck problems turned out to be worse than initially believed, the match was scrapped. The WWE's decision to bring Brock Lesnar in to wrestle Roman Reigns at 2022's SummerSlam was seen as its only option once Orton was out.

Now that Randy is back, he's made it clear he's looking for revenge. Some fans believed Orton might even attack Jey Uso during their War Games Match against The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre. However, Orton put aside his differences for the match but he signaled to Uso that he hadn't forgotten about what happened.

Jey Uso Faces the Consequences

Perhaps eager to get things settled, Jey approached Randy on the 27 November RAW, leading to an unexpected reconciliation. Jey approached Orton and let him know he's trying to put his past behind him. At the same time, "Main Event Jey" showed what he's made of by accepting whatever consequences waited for him. Orton let Jey know that he's been watching him over the last few months and he's seen how Jey has had Cody Rhodes' back. Orton explained he knows Jey has earned many wrestlers' trust and he's convinced Orton as well. Orton said as long as Jey is out of The Bloodline, they're good, and he's focused on getting revenge on The Bloodline.

A Kinder, Gentler Viper?

Are fans seeing a kinder, gentler Randy Orton? Not hardly. Orton reminded the WWE Universe that he's spent the last 20 years putting Superstars on the shelf, some of them permanently. In a way, he understands where The Bloodline was coming from. However, while he may forgive, he doesn't forget and Orton vowed payback by the three most dangerous letters in all of sports entertainment: R-K-O.

Orton also showed that he doesn't back down from anyone, be it The Bloodline or The Judgment Day. Orton dealt with Rhea Ripley's threat as well as Dominik and JD McDonagh's attack, dispatching "Dirty" Dom and JD quicky. Later, Orton showed he hasn't lost a step when he defeated Mysterio.

A recent tweet revealed that Orton is being advertised for the 1 December SmackDown. There's no indication that he's scheduled for the main show, a TV taping, both, or something else. However, the chance of Orton appearing along with his clear commitment to taking out The Bloodline could make for some interesting TV and a PLE.

Some Sweet Scenarios

Orton appearing on SmackDown is a good way to shake things up on the blue brand. Rumor has it that Roman Reigns won't be back until sometime before the 2024 Royal Rumble in order to hype whatever appearance he's making at the WWE's first PLE of 2024. However, both Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa are still there.

Fans could see Randy show up and deliver RKOs out of nowhere at some key moments, perhaps leading to a match on TV. However, that should only be the beginning as Orton vs The Bloodline seems like something better suited for a premium live event.

Randy vs Roman at The Royal Rumble

One possibility is to give Orton the match against Roman Reigns he was supposedly going to get in 2022. Reigns currently has no opponent lined up and as WrestleLamia noted in our news videos, the WWE has no plans for an LA Knight vs Roman Reigns rematch at the Rumble. An Orton vs Reigns match should be fantastic as the two haven't thrown down since Reigns' heel turn. 

However, unless the WWE decides to throw a curve ball and have Reigns drop the title at the Rumble (which seems unlikely), there's little value in a Randy vs Roman match if Orton is merely going to be Roman's latest victim. Although Orton likely has no problem putting Reigns over, "The Viper" would look like a garden snake talking trash and counting the lights.

Randy and Cody vs Roman and Solo at The Royal Rumble

Another possibility is for Randy to team up with Cody to take on Roman and Solo at the Rumble. This could help the WWE avoid the problem of Orton losing a singles match to Roman. It could also help build anticipation for Cody vs Roman 2 at WrestleMania 40, which so far seems to be the direction the WWE wants. What if Randy and Cody team up, with the idea being that The Bloodline will want to hurt Cody and prevent him from participating in the Royal Rumble later that night? Even better, what if Paul Heyman concocts a stipulation where Cody won't be able to compete in the Rumble if he and Randy lose? 

Randy and Jey Uso vs Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso

There are other possibilities too, including a tag match involving Randy Orton and Jey Uso vs Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso. With persistent rumors that the WWE is holding off on Jey vs Jimmy Uso for WrestleMania 40, a tag match could help whet the fans' appetite for Jey vs Jimmy. This could also lead to more drama if Jimmy loses the match and Roman loses his temper over another loss by Jimmy.

Randy Helps Cody Fulfill His Dream

Another scenario is closer to WrestleMania 40 as Randy takes his quest for revenge further and begins taking out members of The Bloodline one by one. This could help Cody by ensuring that Roman Reigns has no one to interfere in his title defense, perhaps leading to Cody finally winning the Undisputed Championship. Cody in turn, would likely give his mentor a title shot, leading to even more excitement.

Once a Snake, Always a Snake

Once Randy Orton has quenched his thirst for revenge, it could be time for a heel turn. Rumor had it that Randy Orton was eventually going to turn on his tag team partner, Matt Riddle. Unfortunately, Riddle's WWE release threw this option out the window. However, what if Orton gets his revenge on The Bloodline and by doing so, helps Cody get Roman in a true one-on-one situation? 

A gracious Cody could then offer Randy a title shot, with Orton accepting it but losing. When Orton requests a rematch, Orton could turn heel, laying out Rhodes. While the WWE shouldn't have Cody lose the title right after winning it, a feud with Orton could still be exciting, even if Randy doesn't win the title.

Randy's current storyline has the potential to keep the WWE Universe entertained through WrestleMania 40. What do you think of some of these scenarios? What would you like to see happen?