Possible Date for Randy Orton’s Return Revealed Amid WWE TV Hiatus

Randy Orton may have been off WWE TV for months, but if the new SmackDown poster is any clue, The Viper is about to strike again.

WWE has officially released the promotional poster for the January 30, 2026 episode of SmackDown in Saudi Arabia — and Orton is featured front and center. The event, which serves as the go-home show before the Royal Rumble on January 31, is already advertised with top names like Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Jade Cargill, and Aleister Black, but it’s Orton’s position that has fans doing a double-take.

This could mark Orton’s official return to WWE programming after being written off TV months ago. The last time fans saw him was on the October 3, 2025 episode of SmackDown, where he teamed up with Cody Rhodes to face Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker. The match ended in brutal fashion when Reed crushed Orton post-match with multiple Tsunami splashes — a beatdown that effectively shelved him from storylines.

This promotional push comes not long after WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair publicly called out WWE for underutilizing Orton despite his status as one of the company’s best in-ring performers.

“Randy Orton… he’s third generation. Randy is the best male worker in the company right now. They don’t utilize him the way I would if I was Booker, but I’m not.”

With Orton now leading the poster for the Saudi Arabia SmackDown, many are wondering if WWE is finally setting the stage for a major Rumble return — and possibly something bigger heading into WrestleMania 42 season.

Do you think WWE is finally gearing up for a big Randy Orton return? What kind of run do you want to see from him in 2026? Drop your thoughts in the comments — we want to hear what you think.