On SmackDown, Randy Orton had a clear opening to drop Cody Rhodes with an RKO and chose not to take it. At Elimination Chamber, he did not hesitate.
Speaking on ESPN SportsCenter, Orton reflected on the chaotic closing stretch of the 2026 Men’s Elimination Chamber match and why he made the split-second decision to strike.
“Anything can happen inside this dome, inside this cage. It is relentless,” Orton said. “So many variables, so when that door opens and you get not one but two masked men, and then you get Drew McIntyre, I had to take advantage of the situation. I’ve been doing this forever and I know I can’t do it literally forever, right? I’m at the tail-end of my career, so I’ve got to get it while the getting’s good, my friend. Drew came in, he involved himself in the match, Cody was down. In a heartbeat, I made that decision to drop Cody with an RKO. Now, he’s a long-time friend, I hate doing it. But do I really hate doing it? No, I don’t. I’m going to WrestleMania. I’m main eventing WrestleMania. I deserve to be in the main event of WrestleMania.”
The RKO secured Orton the victory and guaranteed him an Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42.
The moment carried extra weight because of the history between the two men. Orton and Rhodes entered WWE around the same era and were closely aligned from 2008 to 2010 as members of the Legacy faction alongside Ted DiBiase Jr. Over the years, Rhodes has credited Orton as a major influence on his development.
But history rarely softens competitive instincts inside a structure like the Elimination Chamber. The environment is designed for opportunism. Steel pods. Unpredictable entry order. Outside interference. The format rewards decisiveness.
Orton framed the decision as practical rather than personal. At this stage of his career, he recognizes that championship windows narrow. The calculus shifts from loyalty to legacy.
Friendship matters. WrestleMania main events matter more.
For Orton, the RKO was not betrayal. It was timing.
