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NEWARK, N.J. — The Jeff Hardy comeback tour rolls on, as The Charismatic Enigma dispatched Randy Orton to retain his United States Title at WWE Backlash, capping a rivalry that has been tenser than anticipated, even though Hardy and Orton have only been on each other’s radars for a short period of time.
Ever since Hardy supplanted Jinder Mahal as U.S. Champion, Orton — who had already invoked his rematch clause after losing the title to Mahal at WrestleMania — has been seemingly overlooked by The Charismatic Enigma. Having reminded Hardy of his skills with an RKO after a tag team match on SmackDown LIVE, The Viper opened the WWE Backlash contest with another display of ruthless efficiency, targeting the champion’s lumbar with a trifecta of backdrops onto the barricade. The veteran Orton was clearly hoping to slow Hardy down and turn the match into the kind of drawn-out beatdown that typically precedes the RKO.
Even when Hardy fought to quicken the pace, the threat of the RKO loomed large. The Charismatic Enigma had to stop cold to avoid the maneuver at one point, allowing The Apex Predator to reclaim the advantage, though the champion was more familiar with Orton’s playbook than he let on. Hardy took a page out of his challenger’s repertoire, surprising Orton with a Twist of Fate and following up with an immediate Swanton Bomb to retain his title.
Even for Randy Orton, it seems, defeat can come from out of nowhere.