Unpacking Randy Orton-Cody Rhodes history ahead of WrestleMania 42
More than 15 years of WWE history come to a head as Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes are set to collide in the Night One main event of WrestleMania in Las Vegas. Randy Orton punched his ticket to a title opportunity after winning the Men’s Elimination Chamber match in Chicago back in February, originally lining him up for a showdown with then-champion Drew McIntyre. However, a creative shift quickly altered the landscape after an episode of Friday Night SmackDown saw McIntyre drop the title to Cody Rhodes, reshaping the championship picture and setting up a match with illustrious history between Orton and Rhodes.
MORE: WrestleMania 42 match card revealed, full list of Night 1 & 2 fights While the recent addition of Pat McAfee to the storyline has drawn mixed reactions from fans, the core of this feud remains undeniable. Orton and Rhodes bring a layered, deeply personal history to the grandest stage of all. Forming Legacy Dating back to late 2008, during Randy Orton’s heated rivalry with then-World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, the “Legend Killer” began searching for emerging talent to build a faction of his own, much like the iconic group he once rose through in Evolution alongside Triple H, Ric Flair, and Batista.
That vision soon came to life as a young Cody Rhodes aligned with Ted DiBiase Jr. under Orton’s guidance, forming Legacy. The faction quickly became a launching pad for both rising stars, with Rhodes and DiBiase capturing the WWE Tag Team Championships for a second time while Orton remained in pursuit of the company’s top titles.
After almost a year and a half of running rampant on the WWE, the group began to fizzle out, and by the beginning of 2010, the cracks were apparent for the fans to see. That momentum culminated in a triple threat showdown between all three members at WrestleMania 26, where Orton emerged victorious. Still, the moment served as a pivotal launching point for Cody Rhodes, signaling the beginning of his push to carve out his own identity in WWE.
MORE: CM Punk rips Pat McAfee, WrestleMania 42 ticket prices in WWE Raw pipebomb Gap years As many fans remember, Cody Rhodes’ first run as a singles competitor didn’t quite unfold the way he had envisioned. That setback ultimately pushed the second-generation star to step away from the spotlight and hit the independent circuit in 2016, determined to reshape his career on his own terms. The journey wasn’t immediate, but through standout performances overseas and a notable stint with Impact Wrestling, the son of Dusty Rhodes steadily rebuilt his reputation.
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