“They Wasted Him”: Is Randy Orton Quietly Fuming Backstage Ahead of WrestleMania?
Randy Orton is finally back where he belongs. For the first time in nearly ten years, The Viper is heading into WrestleMania with a legitimate shot at the big one.
After surviving the brutal Elimination Chamber match last month, Orton punched his ticket to face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 42. It’s a massive moment for the future Hall of Famer, and on paper, it looks like a career-defining resurgence.
But not everyone is convinced that Randy is completely happy with how he got here.
According to former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman, there might be some real frustration brewing behind the scenes. Speaking on The Coach and Bro Show, Coachman didn’t hold back, suggesting that despite the WrestleMania spot, Orton “could be pissed” at the company for how he was utilized during a critical period last year.
Coachman’s argument isn’t about Orton losing matches—it’s about being invisible during a time when the spotlight was glaring elsewhere. He pointed out that while WWE was busy milking the nostalgia of John Cena’s retirement tour, a bonafide legend like Orton was kept on the sidelines.
The most eyebrow-raising example? While WWE was running a major Saturday Night’s Main Event event in Washington D.C., Randy Orton was wrestling a show in Saudi Arabia. For a star of Orton’s caliber, being shipped overseas during a domestic prime-time event raised some serious questions about priorities.
To be fair, it’s not like Orton was sitting at home collecting dust. Last year’s plans saw him slated for a program with Kevin Owens before an injury changed everything. He pivoted to a fun match with Joe Hendry, had some scraps with Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul, and even had a brief moment with Cena after WrestleMania 41.
Still, Coachman’s point lingers: for a company that loves to celebrate its legends, they seemed to forget about one of their biggest stars when the cameras were rolling on U.S. soil.
But all of that is just noise now. The narrative has shifted back to the ring. Orton’s win in the Elimination Chamber felt like a passing of the torch moment for a veteran who has already done it all. It echoes his 2017 Royal Rumble victory, which led to a title shot against Bray Wyatt.
Now, with his sights set on Cody Rhodes, Orton is chasing history. A win at WrestleMania 42 would make him a 15-time World Champion.
If he was indeed angry about being overlooked, there’s no better way to silence the critics—and the bosses—than by walking out of Las Vegas with the gold.
