In a shock to nobody, Randy Orton will not be leaving the WWE. He has recently been drumming up speculation that he would be going to All Elite Wrestling in 2020 once his current dealings with WWE concluded. The speculation was fun for a while, but this news really jeopardizes his chances of going to AEW.
Never Trust A Viper
Randy Orton on social media is an absolute treat, but you really can’t trust a word the guy says. He is constantly toying with fans and making them assume whatever he wants them to, and is very good at this. Two weeks ago he posted a picture to Instagram with him pointing at a sign that says “Elite” which launched a thousand rumors of a jump to AEW.
A name like Randy Orton would have been a massive boon for the growing company, but WWE is holding on tight to the 13 time world champion, and this deal solidifies Orton as a top presence for years to come. It is possible he could have used social media to help in contract negotiations. Orton has name value and WWE will pay to keep him around, so generating rumors of jumping ship could have gotten him better money & scheduling; but who really knows what happens beyond closed doors. He debutted for WWE in 2001 and has spent his entire wrestling career for the company, and with this deal it seems likely he could spend the rest of his career there as well.
Who Could Realistically Go To AEW From WWE
One name that gets thrown around a lot is the former Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Revival. Since 2017 they’ve had an online feud with The Young Bucks, and with their contracts reportedly ending in 2020, it could be a great chance for that dream match to be realized. Until then, we always have The Brainbusters vs. The Rockers, which is essentially the same thing.
With AEW growing, if WWE contracts lapse, it will be the place to go to stay in the spotlight in wrestling, so I wouldn’t be shocked if throughout the next few years we see some people jump ship to the competition. I don’t think they’ll take just anyone who walks up onto their doorstep, but they will not be getting the master of the RKO, atleast not yet.
Source: https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=131069
