Kevin Owens Is Out—Here’s Who Randy Orton Could Face at WrestleMania 41 Instead

On Friday Night Smackdown, Kevin Owens announced that his WrestleMania 41 match with Randy Orton is off and that he’ll be on the shelf for an undetermined amount of time as he recovers from potentially career-ending neck surgery. 

Owens said the injury has lingered for a few months, dating back to a match in January, and a recent MRI showed the severity of his injuries, requiring immediate surgery. The timing is certainly unfortunate for Owens, who has spoken at length about his relationship with Orton, and removes both men from a locked-in WrestleMania 41 match. 

With Orton now without an opponent just over a week away from WrestleMania, there are plenty of potential ways to get the Viper involved—from a battle royale to matches against returning stars. As things stand today, here are the three most logical spots for Orton at the Showcase of the Immortals. 

Will Randy Orton Face Nick Aldis at WrestleMania 41?

A showdown with Smackdown general manager Nick Aldis probably makes the most sense for all involved. Aldis previously expressed interest in a potential return to the ring during an interview with Chris Van Vliet, and there’s no bigger stage than WrestleMania. 

Orton attacked Aldis in 2023, and has a history of stepping over the line with authority members. But the decision for Orton to RKO Aldis yet again last week seems more deliberate in setting the stage for the former NWA World Heavyweight champion to grace the WWE ring. Whether that could lead to a more long-term in-ring stint for Aldis, who also feuded with Rhodes before this run in WWE, remains to be seen. At this moment, it’s unquestionably the most straightforward approach to getting Orton on the WrestleMania card. 

Could Randy Orton vs. Solo Sikoa Happen at WrestleMania 41?

Over the last month, the seeds have been planted for a Bloodline standoff between Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa. That cooled off Friday night when Fatu became the last man standing against Braun Strowman, earning a United States championship match against LA Knight at WrestleMania. 

With Fatu out of the picture, Sikoa is arguably the next biggest star without a clear WrestleMania match. It’s hard to imagine Sikoa, who was firmly in the main event scene midway through the year, without at least an appearance at the biggest show of the year. Sikoa and Orton had history over the last year, and there’s an opportunity to get them back together. Whether it’s an open challenge, a war of words between the two leading to an impromptu match, or something entirely different, the path here isn’t complicated. 

Randy Orton in Cody Rhodes’ Corner at WrestleMania 41?

It’s not a match, but if the long-term direction is to get to a feud between Orton and Rhodes, Orton promising to be in his corner in a way Seth Rollins did last year is an easy path forward. Rhodes and John Cena will headline Night 2 of WrestleMania, and this one can go in plenty of different directions. 

Orton’s face-to-face with Rhodes a few weeks ago opened the door for a confrontation between the two, and it seems it’s a matter of when, not if. With Owens out of the picture, Orton’s expedited involvement and a feud with Rhodes —for championship gold or without it, á la WrestleMania 39’s fallout— keeps him in a relevant rivalry through the summer.

Read more:

• Everything You Need to Know About Wrestlemania 41
• Cody Rhodes Says Travis Scott Has A Receipt Coming His Way

• Kevin Owens Is Out—Here’s Who Randy Orton Could Face at WrestleMania 41 Instead