Randy Orton

Summary

This one was pretty straightforward, even if it started with a little spark. Cardona came out swinging early, even cracking Orton with a microphone to get some payback from last week, but that just woke the Viper up. Orton slowed things down quickly, targeting the already injured arm and turning the match into a methodical beatdown. Cardona tried to fight through it and had a couple bursts of offense, but it never really felt like he had a real shot. Orton stayed in control, picked his spots, and eventually dropped him with an RKO to finish it clean. It did exactly what it needed to—Orton looked dangerous, Cardona looked tough for surviving as long as he did, but also clearly outmatched.

#1: Trick Williams (5:00)

#2: Logan Paul (10:00)

#3: LA Knight (15:00)

#4: Randy Orton (20:00)

Logan Paul eliminated Je'Von Evans (Pinfall)

Logan Paul eliminated LA Knight (Pinfall)

Logan Paul eliminated Trick Williams (Pinfall)

Cody Rhodes eliminated Logan Paul (Pinfall)

Randy Orton eliminated Cody Rhodes (Pinfall) at 25:20

Summary

kicked off with Cody Rhodes and Je’Von Evans starting things inside the unforgiving steel structure. Early on, Trick Williams’ entrance added chaos as he immediately targeted both men with hard strikes and threw them around the ring, showcasing his speed and aggression. When Logan Paul entered next, he became the early focal point — his opponents ganged up and hurled him through a pod before scrambling back into the fray. As the match accelerated with LA Knight’s arrival, the competition spilled to the top of the pods and the unforgiving walls of the Chamber. Knight delivered his signature BFT on Williams from the top of a pod, electrifying the crowd, while Orton — the final entrant — methodically cut through the field with cold-blooded precision once his pod opened. Throughout the bout, bodies were smashed into the steel, with big moves and near-eliminations keeping the tempo high. Alliances of convenience formed briefly — only to break apart — and every competitor scored some momentum with impactful offense. Despite spirited offense from Rhodes and Knight, Orton used his veteran instincts to time his counters perfectly, delivering multiple RKOs “outta nowhere” at key moments inside the structure. In the final stretch, Orton withstood a barrage of offense, fought off multiple opponents at once, and found openings to hit decisive strikes. When it was down to the wire, his calculated aggression paid off: he capitalized on a wear-down sequence to hit a crushing RKO on his final opponent, pinning him inside the steel and becoming the last Superstar standing in the match. With that win, Orton punched his ticket to face the Undisputed WWE Champion at WrestleMania 42, continuing his chase for a historic 15th world title.

Summary

In the featured matchup on SmackDown, longtime WWE veteran Randy Orton clashed with striking specialist Aleister Black in a hard-fought singles encounter that blended power offense with high-impact kicks and counters. Orton’s experience showed as he weathered Black’s early flurry of strikes and kept the contest grounded with methodical, calculated attacks. Black repeatedly fired back with his trademark precise boot and Muay Thai-style offense, forcing Orton to adapt throughout the bout. The match ends with Orton on the outside and Drew McIntyre striking him in the head with the belt. A stunned Randy rolls into the ring and gets hit with a Black Mass as Aleistar Black gets the three count!

Summary

Randy Orton competed against Solo Sikoa and Aleister Black in a Triple Threat match to qualify for the 2026 Elimination Chamber match. The competitors traded finishers and near-falls, with Orton hitting the RKO to secure the pin and punch his ticket into the Chamber. This result continued Orton’s chase for another world title opportunity on the road to WrestleMania.

Summary

The Men’s Royal Rumble match also featured 30 participants, mixing established stars, surprise returns, and breakthrough performances. Oba Femi made a huge early impact by entering at #1 and eliminating several competitors, including Rusev and Solo Sikoa. Throughout the middle of the match, notable moments included surprise eliminations, then-fresh returns like LA Knight, and clashes involving Brock Lesnar before he was eliminated by alliance efforts from other competitors. The final stretch came down to Roman Reigns (#26), Gunther (#30), Randy Orton, and Logan Paul as the last four. Reigns ultimately survived the fray by spearing Gunther, eliminating him over the top rope to win his second career Royal Rumble and punch his WrestleMania main event ticket.