Cody Rhodes absolutely beat Randy Orton in a brutal Last Man Standing match at WWE Crown Jewel on Saturday, delivering a finish that nobody saw coming: Rhodes put Orton down for the ten count by hitting him with the Viper’s own signature punt. This was no easy win, with Rhodes enduring a ton of punishment, including crashing through a folding table, smashing through the announce table, and even taking a low blow, but he still pulled out the win.
The Vicious History That Led To Crown Jewel
This wasn’t just some random matchup, folks. The beef between Rhodes and Orton goes way back, stretching all the way to before WrestleMania 42. That’s when Orton turned full-blown heel, viciously attacking his longtime friend right before their WWE Championship showdown. Rhodes managed to beat Orton at WrestleMania, retaining his WWE title, but Orton got the ultimate last laugh that night, laying Cody out with a punt right after the match. The Viper then vanished from WWE programming for months, leaving everyone wondering what was next.
But Orton wasn’t gone for good, not by a long shot. He resurfaced at SummerSlam, specifically to cost Rhodes his WWE Championship match against CM Punk. You could feel the tension building, and about a month later, Orton and Rhodes finally clashed again in a grudge match at Sunday Night’s Main Event. Cody had Randy right where he wanted him, setting up for a punt, but he hesitated. That split second cost him everything, as Orton seized the opportunity, hitting a low blow and an RKO for the victory. This rivalry wasn’t just physical anymore; it was personal, escalating with every passing week, filled with both physical and verbal skirmishes on SmackDown.
Killer Instinct: How Rhodes Proved Orton Wrong
Cody Rhodes wasn’t going to let that hesitation define him. After a match against Baron Corbin ended in a disqualification thanks to Orton’s interference, Rhodes took out his frustration on Corbin, hitting him with a punt. It was a clear message, a declaration that he now had the “killer instinct” needed to go toe-to-toe with and potentially beat Randy Orton. Orton, for his part, accepted Cody’s challenge for a Last Man Standing match at Crown Jewel, but he absolutely did not believe Rhodes had what it took to survive, let alone win, in such a brutal environment.
Well, The American Nightmare proved him dead wrong on Saturday. After all the history, all the cheap shots, all the brutal assaults, Cody Rhodes stood tall. He didn’t just beat Orton; he used the Viper’s own weapon against him, delivering the punt that finally kept Orton down for the count. It was a statement win, a brutal, definitive end to one of the most personal rivalries we’ve seen. What a night!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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