Randy Orton has once again punched his ticket to the King of the Ring finals. In a hard-fought semifinal match during the June 20 episode of WWE SmackDown in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Orton defeated Sami Zayn to move one step closer to the crown.
The decisive moment came when Orton countered an advancing Zayn, who was setting up for a Helluva Kick, and struck with a signature RKO for the pinfall victory. Orton’s path to the semifinals was paved with a key victory in a Fatal 4-Way match against LA Knight, Alistair Black, and Carmelo Hayes. Zayn had earned his spot by outlasting Bron Breakker, Dominik Mysterio, and Penta in a similar four-man contest.
Interestingly, some observant fans and analysts had anticipated Orton’s win. A promotional graphic released by WWE prior to the show depicted a crown over Orton’s head, a visual cue that had consistently predicted the winner in every previous round of both the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments this year.
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This victory marks a return to the tournament’s final stage for Orton, who was the runner-up in 2024 after losing to Gunther.
With the win, Orton now awaits the outcome of the other semifinal match between Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes. The two survivors will collide in the tournament final at the Night of Champions premium live event on June 28. A world championship match at SummerSlam hangs in the balance for the eventual King of the Ring winner.
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