Randy Orton RKOs hometown hero in a shocking finish to SmackDown earlier than SNME

Randy Orton wasn’t too closely featured on SmackDown this week regardless of being within the headliner of Saturday Evening’s Predominant Occasion in Montreal. Nonetheless, he stood tall to finish the present as he hit an RKO on the hometown hero.

This week on SmackDown, the present primarily revolved round the principle occasion of SNME, the place Randy Orton can be in a Deadly-4-Method primary contender’s match to find out Drew McIntyre’s WWE Championship opponent on the 2026 Royal Rumble. Tensions have been excessive this week, with a phase involving Sami Zayn, Trick Williams, and Damian Priest. Randy Orton solely briefly appeared backstage after the phase, vowing to make 2026 his yr. In a while backstage, Sami Zayn and Damian Priest had a tense alternate, however it was instantly after that when issues escalated. In his promo previous to the Zayn-Priest alternate, Drew McIntyre stated that Sami Zayn’s son had been upset to know he was his father for the reason that second he may open his eyes. In response, Sami Zayn slapped him throughout the face and slapped him laborious.

The end of the principle occasion noticed Sami Zayn interrupt as Damian Priest vs Trick Williams led to a DQ. It resulted in a brawl after that, with every star getting a finisher in, and it regarded like Trick Williams was going to face tall in Montreal at Sami Zayn’s expense. For individuals who do not know, Sami Zayn is from Montreal. Nonetheless, Randy Orton got here out of nowhere and hit the RKO on Williams earlier than having a face-off with Sami Zayn, whom he additionally RKO’d to finish the night time on SmackDown.

It was fascinating that WWE let Orton have a second over the hometown hero, however it is also an enormous indicator that he might not be successful the Deadly-4-Method match at SNME. Sami Zayn would be the sentimental favourite as it’s hometown crowd.