Randy Orton: I’m At the Tail End of My Career, I Deserve to Be in the Main Event of WrestleMania 42

Randy Orton knows what it takes to make it to the grandest stage of them all.

At the 2026 Elimination Chamber, Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes were the final two, and after interference from two masked men and WWE Undisputed Champion, Drew McIntyre, it led to Orton hitting the RKO needed to put Rhodes away and earn a shot at McIntyre’s gold at WrestleMania 42.

During an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Orton spoke about the ending and how he deserves to be in the main event of the grandest stage of them all as he reaches the tail end of his illustrious career.

“I’ll tell you what man, like I said, this is my 10th Chamber. Anything can happen inside this dome, inside this cage. It is relentless. So many variables. So when that door opens and you get not one but two masked men, and then you get Drew McIntyre, I had to take advantage of the situation. I’ve been doing this forever, and I know that I can’t do it literally forever, right? I’m at the tail end of my career, so I gotta get it while the getting’s good, my friend. Drew came in, he involved himself in the match, Cody was down. In a heartbeat, I made that decision to drop Cody with an RKO. Now, he is a longtime friend. I hate doing it, but do I really hate doing it? No, I don’t. I’m going to WrestleMania. I’m main eventing WrestleMania. I deserve to be in the main event of WrestleMania and let’s just say ticket sales are going to pick up, baby.”

Orton will have to wait and see who the champion will be as McIntyre will now have to defend the Undisputed Championship against Rhodes on the March 6 edition of Friday Night SmackDown.

h/t to Fightful for the transcription.

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