It is official.
And that comes from “up above.”
After Nick Aldis quoted an authority “up above” refusing to allow him to sanction Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens at WWE Crown Jewel 2024 on last week’s WWE SmackDown show, this week’s episode kicked off with the “up above” authority-figure himself.
Randy Orton was shown arriving to the Barclays Center at the top of the 8 o’clock hour, as Michael Cole was welcoming the viewing audience at home to the start of the October 25 episode of WWE SmackDown on USA Network from Brooklyn, New York.
As “The Viper” entered the building, the camera followed him as he made his way to the infamous Gorilla position, where he spoke in a brief inaudible moment with Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
Levesque was seated at a table watching a monitor with a headset on, and ultimately told Orton to head to the ring, which he did, where he proceeded to call out Levesque to explain why he can’t have a match against Owens at WWE Crown Jewel 2024.
The WWE Chief Content Officer shared the squared circle with “The Apex Predator,” where he eventually informed him, after much hesitation, that it was Orton, not Owens, he was trying to protect by refusing to sanction an Orton vs. Owens match for the November 2 PLE in Riyadh.
By the time the segment wrapped up, Orton convinced Levesque to sanction the match, making Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens now official for WWE Crown Jewel 2024 next Saturday night.
Levesque warned Orton that from this point on, he needs to “protect himself at all-times,” playing off of “The Prize Fighter” moniker for the dangerous Owens.
Make sure to join us here on Saturday night, November 2, for live WWE Crown Jewel 2024 results coverage from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
What did Randy Orton just say to Triple H??? #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/0MzEgIkXgL
— WWE (@WWE) October 26, 2024
If there's one man who can give Randy Orton his match against Kevin Owens, it's Triple H… and he's on his way to the ring RIGHT NOW! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/k3YGfJHp2j
— WWE (@WWE) October 26, 2024
"I AM NOT PROTECTING KEVIN OWENS, I AM TRYING TO PROTECT YOU!"
Triple H says Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens is NOT going to happen. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/8eGolcHZwg
— WWE (@WWE) October 26, 2024
What would The Cerebral Assassin do? #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/VHbdD6GPqz
— WWE (@WWE) October 26, 2024
"I hope to god y'all know what you're asking for…"
Triple H just made it official!
Randy Orton will go one-on-one against Kevin Owens at #WWECrownJewel! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/GNcg6YIwJL
— WWE (@WWE) October 26, 2024
