Orton vs. Fiend one of several changed WrestleMania 37 finishes

Image: WWE

Several match finishes, including Randy Orton vs. The Fiend, were changed during WWE WrestleMania 37 weekend.

Fightful first reported the Orton/Fiend changes with Dave Meltzer confirming that on Monday’s Wrestling Observer Radio. He said for the entire weekend, three finishes were changed and/or finalized with one major match on Saturday and the other (Orton/Fiend) on Sunday happening hours before the show. Bryan Alvarez said he was told four finishes were changed.

Orton defeated Fiend in the opening match of Sunday’s card which was the original plan. Fightful reported the idea, however, was that Orton would be written off TV for a while but those involved with putting the match together weren’t told anything past that. They said Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard were instrumental in changing the plan to a “surprise” finish over the weekend.

In a match that included a giant jack in the box that Fiend emerged from, Orton won after Fiend was distracted by Alexa Bliss coming out of the box with black liquid coming out of a headband, leading to an RKO and a pin.

Orton returned on Raw and was part of a three-way match to determine the next challenger to WWE Champion Bobby Lashley while Fiend returned as Bray Wyatt.