Randy Orton Wins First WWE Raw Match In Over A Year (With Help From Singer Jelly Roll)

Randy Orton hasn't missed a beat in his return to the ring after 18 months on the injured list. On Saturday, he helped his WarGames team take down Drew McIntyre and The Judgment Day; on Monday, he defeated Dominik Mysterio on "WWE Raw," in a match set up by a show-opening encounter between Orton and Rhea Ripley.

Orton did get a little help in his match from celebrity recording artist Jelly Roll, who was sitting ringside after appearing earlier in the episode during a backstage segment featuring Alpha Academy and The New Day. Jelly Roll ended up serving as a distraction to Mysterio and his Judgment Day stablemate, JD McDonagh, helping Orton gain the advantage outside the ring. Orton ultimately took a 619 from Mysterio, but dodged the ensuing Frog Splash and hit an RKO for the win. It was Orton's first "Raw" match since May 9, 2021, when Orton and his since-released tag team partner, Matt Riddle, defeated the Street Profits.

Though Orton's personal doctors had advised him against stepping back in the ring, he recently said he would be wrestling for another decade post-Survivor Series. While Orton is currently dealing with The Judgment Day, he stated in his opening promo that he was here to renew hostilities with The Bloodline (the group responsible for writing him off TV after his injury) though for the time being he seems to have squashed any hard feelings against former Bloodline member Jey Uso.