Randy Orton Delivers A Personal Attack On Cody Rhodes As WWE SmackDown Stars Invade November 2 Raw

Cody Rhodes faces Randy Orton ahead of their Last Man Standing Match at Crown Jewel.© NDTV Library

Randy Orton went after Cody Rhodes on WWE Raw by bringing up his late father Dusty Rhodes, just days before their Last Man Standing match at Crown Jewel. Orton interrupted John Cena's segment after the WWE legend named Cody as the first participant in the upcoming John Cena Classic. He wasn't interested in celebrating his former rival's achievement, though. He wanted Cody's full attention, and he used their family history to deliver a deeply personal warning. The November 2 episode also had several SmackDown names on it, with both brands sharing the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

THE VIPER ???? @RandyOrton https://t.co/ifYSCaAzqR

— WWE (@WWE) November 3, 2026

Randy Orton brings up Dusty Rhodes' final WWE match while threatening Cody ahead of Crown Jewel

John Cena returned to Raw with three announcements about his upcoming John Cena Classic. The tournament takes place on December 14 at Walt Disney World, and Cody Rhodes got announced as its first participant.

Cena also admitted he had underestimated Cody's ability to carry the responsibility of being WWE's top star. He told Rhodes he was wrong, praised the work he had done and shared a handshake with him.

Then Orton's entrance music cut the celebration short. He briefly acknowledged Cena, turned to Cody and explained why their Last Man Standing match meant much more to him than another stipulation.

Orton recalled entering WWE around 25 years ago alongside names like John Cena, Brock Lesnar and Batista. Those men had moved on to other careers, he pointed out, while he was still competing inside the ring.

“I'm a professional wrestler. I'm a third-generation professional wrestler. This is in my blood, it's in my veins. It's what I was born to do,” Orton said.

He also brought up the serious back injury he suffered years ago, saying he would have WWE pay for the best surgeon again if he ever needed another operation. So his message was clear, he wasn't planning to walk away from wrestling.

Orton recalls retiring Dusty Rhodes and warns Cody that his American Dream could end at Crown Jewel

Orton then went back to a match from 2007, when he faced Dusty Rhodes in a Texas Bullrope Match. That one turned out to be Dusty's final match. Orton reminded Cody that he had rung his father's bell that night before kicking him in the head.

He even listed some of the names he had earned over his career, including The Viper, Apex Predator, Legend Killer and Rhodes Killer. His last warning was aimed right at Cody's biggest motivation.

“If your American Dream was to be just like your daddy, on Saturday, I'm gonna make sure that dream comes true,” Orton told him.

Cody didn't get chance to respond before Orton walked away. The personal attack also came after Rhodes had already shown a more aggressive side by punting Baron Corbin on SmackDown. Orton had watched that happen, and Cody later made his own intentions clear, saying, “The last man standing will be the only one punting. That's me.”

The November 2 show also had SmackDown Champion Sami Zayn confronting World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, while several other names from both brands appeared on the card. WWE had advertised the Brooklyn event as a joint Raw and SmackDown night.

Cody and Orton are scheduled to meet in a Last Man Standing Match at Crown Jewel on November 7.