WWE SmackDown results: Randy Orton pins LA Knight to reach King of the Ring semi-final
Randy Orton returned to WWE with one thing on his mind. After five weeks away since losing the WWE Championship match to John Cena at Backlash in his hometown, The Viper stepped back into the ring on SmackDown and picked up a massive win. He defeated LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes, and Aleister Black in a thrilling four-way match to move into the semi-final of the King of the Ring tournament.
The show opened with a long promo segment featuring Orton, Cody Rhodes, LA Knight, and John Cena. Once the match started, the fans in Lexington were fully behind LA Knight. Every punch he threw got a huge cheer. He came close to winning after hitting Aleister Black with a BFT. But just when he looked set to advance, everything turned upside down.
Randy Orton dunks Carmelo Hayes, while Bron Breakker hits LA Knight with a spear
RANDY ORTON ADVANCES IN THE KING OF THE RING TOURNAMENT.BRON BREAKKER & BRONSON REED JUST SCREWED LA KNIGHT 🤯#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/RC3tuaWckQ
As the match crossed the fifteen-minute mark, Bronson Reed appeared ringside. He is part of Seth Rollins' group and came straight for Knight. Reed caused a distraction just as Knight was trying to build momentum. That allowed Bron Breakker to storm in and hit a huge Spear on LA Knight.
It was revenge. Earlier this week on RAW, Knight had interfered in Breakker's fatal four-way match. His actions helped Sami Zayn win and qualify for the next round. Breakker and Reed clearly came to return the favour. Knight was down, Hayes went to the top rope for a splash, but Randy Orton had it all scouted. Orton caught Hayes in midair with a brilliant RKO. Hayes crashed right onto Knight and Orton pinned him for the win.
Aleister Black, who had also looked sharp earlier, was out of the picture after taking a BFT. The crowd was left stunned, but Orton had done what he came to do. The win puts him one step closer to becoming King of the Ring, which comes with a guaranteed title shot at SummerSlam.
Orton is chasing his 15th world title and he knows it will not be easy. Cody Rhodes, his close friend, is also part of the tournament. But Orton looks ready to face anyone who stands in his way. He has made it clear that nothing will stop him from getting back to the top.
For LA Knight, this is a tough blow. He had the fans, the momentum, and the match in control. But Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker had other plans. Their rivalry with Knight is only getting worse. From RAW to SmackDown, this feud has taken over both shows. And Knight will surely have more to say in the coming weeks.
Orton now moves on with his focus locked on the crown. The Viper will go up against Sami Zayn in the semi-final of the King of the Ring tournament. One more win will put him in the final. With the biggest prize waiting at SummerSlam, The Viper is all in.
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