Kyle Fletcher Addresses Randy Orton Comparisons, Brock Lesnar Returns to SmackDown
This week in wrestling news, AEW's Kyle Fletcher has spoken out about comparisons to WWE legend Randy Orton, while Brock Lesnar is set to appear on WWE SmackDown. We'll delve into Fletcher's comments and preview the upcoming SmackDown event.
Kyle Fletcher on Orton Comparisons: "I Want to Be My Own Person"
Kyle Fletcher has acknowledged the comparisons to Randy Orton as flattering, but strongly emphasized his desire to establish his own distinct identity in professional wrestling. He attributes his recent transformation, which includes shaving his head and modifying his ring attire, to this goal: “I think when I did the head shave and like the character change, whatever you wanna call it it was like ok I have to make my look stand out, I have to change things up from what I was doing before.”
Fletcher described experimenting with different looks: “And then trunks was the idea, it was like ‘ah ok so I’ll do trunks, I’ll change the jacket, I’ll do entrance pants, I’ll do whatever’ and then that’s when I started getting the Randy Ortons.” Despite this, he was clear he didn’t want to imitate anyone: “I was like ‘ok that’s a nice comparison but I never want to be a copy of someone else, I wanna be my own person’.”
He continued to adjust his style to create a unique persona, which ultimately led to the incorporation of his signature pink elements: “So then it was from there ok how do we change things to become a little bit more unique, and then organically I ended up with the pink and the pink has stuck and everything just kind of evolves, it evolves very naturally into what it is today.”
SmackDown Preview: Lesnar Returns, Orton Faces McIntyre
WWE SmackDown on September 12, 2025, is set to be a must-see event. The show features the return of Brock Lesnar, plus a rematch between WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill, and a non-title showdown between Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre.
Key SmackDown Matches and Storylines
- WWE Women's Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill: Cargill seeks to dethrone Stratton, who has been champion since the beginning of 2025 and remains undefeated.
- Brock Lesnar's Return: Lesnar, after attacking John Cena last week, will make a statement ahead of their upcoming match. Their history dates back to the "Ruthless Aggression Era."
- Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre: A highly anticipated non-title match between two of WWE's top stars.
- United States Championship Open Challenge: Sami Zayn will defend his title.
Lesnar's return comes after his shocking re-emergence at SummerSlam. He attacked John Cena prior to Cena’s Wrestlepalooza main event. Fans will be eager to see what “The Beast Incarnate” has in store for Cena ahead of their clash. The event will take place at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.