Randy Orton Slip-Up: Did He Just Reveal IShowSpeed’s WWE Comeback?

Randy Orton might have done the most Randy Orton thing possible: casually spoil a surprise while being polite. And because nothing in wrestling happens in a vacuum, that tiny slip now sits next to a very suspicious belt stare on SmackDown. Let’s connect the dots.

Orton and IShowSpeed link up, and maybe spill a date

Orton was spotted chatting with streamer IShowSpeed at an event, and a fan account on X posted a clip from Speed’s livestream on October 1, 2025. In it, Speed does the most Speed thing imaginable and tries to hit an RKO on the actual RKO guy. Orton, the former 14-time world champ, laughs it off, congratulates Speed on something he doesn’t say out loud, and then mentions they’ll be doing something together in a couple of weeks. Speed asks if he’s ready for it. That’s all we get.

Here’s the read: Orton never says what the plan is, but the timing screams WWE. Speed is 20 and last popped up as a surprise entrant in the 2025 Royal Rumble. That said, nothing is official, and Speed is famous for linking up with people outside of WWE, so this could just as easily be a side project between the two. File under: likely wrestling, not guaranteed.

Why Orton + Speed matters (WrestleMania XL says hi)

These two already have history. At WrestleMania XL, Orton fought Kevin Owens and Logan Paul in a Triple Threat. Speed was ringside in full PRIME bottle cosplay backing Paul, and when he tried to get cute with The Viper, Orton kicked him, tore off the mascot getup, cleared the announce table, and planted him with an RKO. It went viral instantly, because of course it did.

That moment basically fast-tracked Speed into the 2025 Royal Rumble. He flipped into the ring, celebrated for half a second, and then Bron Breakker nearly cut him in half with a Spear. Lights out. If Orton just hinted at a new team-up, it would be Speed’s first WWE-adjacent thing since that Rumble cameo.

Meanwhile on SmackDown: did Orton tip a heel turn?

On last week’s SmackDown, Cody Rhodes had an in-ring faceoff with Paul Heyman. Cody pressed him on which version he was dealing with: Seth Rollins’ Oracle, Roman Reigns’ Wiseman, or Brock Lesnar’s Advocate. Heyman fired back that Cody was talking to the GOAT, then set Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed on him. Rhodes, 40, warned them not to trust Heyman and swung first. Brawl city.

Orton hit the ring to back up his longtime friend. The good guys cleared house, and that’s when it got interesting: Orton picked up the Undisputed Championship to hand it to Rhodes... and paused. Just a beat, but long enough for everyone to notice.

That hesitation matters. Rhodes became Undisputed Champion for the second time by winning the King of the Ring tournament, beating Orton in the finals and handing him his second straight KOTR finals loss. Orton has been open about chasing a 15th world title and doing whatever it takes to get there. So yeah, that belt got a long look.

• WrestleMania XL: Orton vs Kevin Owens vs Logan Paul; Speed (in a PRIME suit) eats an RKO through the announce table.
• Royal Rumble 2025: Speed flips in, Bron Breakker Spears him out of his boots.
• Oct 1, 2025: Fan-caught livestream shows Orton telling Speed they’ll do something together in a couple of weeks.
• Last SmackDown: Orton saves Cody from Breakker and Bronson Reed, then lingers on Cody’s Undisputed title a second too long.

What I think it adds up to

Orton and Speed doing something soon feels legit, even if it’s not 100 percent WWE. But if it is? A short, chaotic Speed return tracks with how WWE has used him so far.

On the other side, Orton eyeing Cody’s title reads like the first page of a turn. He’s made it clear he wants number 15 and he won’t play nice to get it. If Cody’s the guy in his way, friendship probably has an expiration date.

Bottom line: expect Speed to pop back up sooner than later, and keep an eye on Orton’s alignment. The Viper looks hungry, and hungry Orton usually means trouble for whoever is holding gold.