KEY POINTS

  • WWE is likely to cut Randy Orton title reign short
  • Triple-Threat match involving Drew McIntyre and Bray Wyatt looms
  • There is a possibility that Orton will renew his feud with Edge

Randy Orton surprised many when he won the WWE championship belt over Drew McIntyre at the recently-concluded WWE Hell in a Cell.

Regardless, that conquest allowed him to become a 14-time world champion. Considering that most had expected McIntyre to walk away with the win, the sudden change of champion has left most wondering what the WWE has planned.

For Orton, becoming the WWE champion once more ties him with Triple H with the third-most world title reigns. Only John Cena and Ric Flair are ahead of them with 16, WWE.com reported.

But looking ahead, a better question to ask is how long will Orton’s championship reign last?

Based on the events that went down on the Oct. 26 episode of WWE Raw, McIntyre is not entirely out of the picture. He attacked Orton during the “Moment of Bliss” segment but a third figure appeared in “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt.

Hence, a plausible expectation is to see a Triple-Threat match happening between Orton, Wyatt and McIntyre.

If that is the plan, the chances of seeing a new champion are higher. However, that does not appear to be in the cards with Orton set to face Roman Reigns in a champion vs. champion match at WWE Survivor Series set for Nov. 22.

But somehow, fans are expecting an outside interference by either McIntyre or “The Fiend” during the match.

There are suggestions that Orton also has someone waiting in the wings. Edge returned to active duty, initially winning over the "Apex Predator" at Wrestlemania 36.

Orton would get even in a rematch a few months later at WWE Backlash. But the question here is whether Edge would get involved in the mix or emerge after one of the former’s matches.

If the take of Dave Meltzer is to be considered, Edge could enter the fray assuming Orton loses the title to someone else moving forward.

With the feud being tied at 1-1, a reasonable way to culminate the angle between the two is through a rubber match. There are suggestions that this could happen at Wrestlemania 37 next year.

McIntyre or Wyatt becoming the next champion makes sense. For now, nothing is set in stone but expect a lot of WWE storylines picking up soon.

Randy Orton WWE
Randy Orton, pictured at SummerSlam at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on Aug. 23, 2015 in New York City. Getty Images