Randy Orton’s Return Announcement Generates High Numbers for WWE – Randy Orton is gearing up for his in-ring return, slated for this Saturday’s WWE Survivor Series premium live event, likely headlining the show’s main event.
Orton’s anticipated return marks his involvement in the Men’s WarGames Match, teaming up with Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and Cody Rhodes against The Judgment Day, Drew McIntyre, and JD McDonagh.
The former WWE Champion had been sidelined since last May due to a back injury, resulting in him and Matt Riddle relinquishing the Raw Tag Team Titles to The Usos before taking a hiatus. Plans for an Orton vs. Riddle feud were halted due to Orton requiring back fusion surgery, while Riddle was released a few months ago.
The announcement of Orton’s return was strategically made ahead of Survivor Series, aiming to quell rumors about CM Punk’s possible return at the Chicago-held event. The reveal, orchestrated by Rhodes during the closing moments of Monday’s Raw, drew significant attention. Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics highlighted the notable fan reaction, with the YouTube video of the announcement surpassing a million views in just over 24 hours.
Despite facing stiff competition from a historic NFL game, Raw garnered 1.459 million viewers and scored a 0.49 in the key demo rating. Notably, it marked Raw’s highest P18-49 viewership since September 4. The final segment featuring Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso, where Orton’s return was expectedly announced, saw a notable increase in both total viewership and the key demo rating. This surge in ratings during the final segment is noteworthy considering the usual decline seen in Raw’s third hour, which experienced drops throughout the episode leading up to this climactic moment.
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Randy Orton’s Return Announcement Generates High Numbers for WWE
