With his House of Horrors Match against the maniacal Bray Wyatt looming at WWE Payback this Sunday, Randy Orton faced off with The Eater of Worlds’ former disciple, Erick Rowan, in a No Disqualification Match on SmackDown LIVE.

Rowan brought his most brutal offense to try and weaken The Viper, even doling out some brutal lashes with a kendo stick. However, The Apex Predator battled back, putting Rowan through a table, ramming him into a steel chair and connecting with an RKO for the win.

After the contest, Orton got on the mic and promised The Eater of Worlds that the House of Horrors Match this Sunday will be Wyatt’s eternal hell. However, the WWE Champion was then interrupted by the No. 1 contender to his title, Jinder Mahal. The Maharaja emphatically stated that he would not put up with what he perceived as Orton’s disrespect toward him ahead of their match at WWE Backlash on May 21.

The two engaged in a war of words that saw The Singh Brothers, also known as The Bollywood Boyz, attack The Viper from behind. Mahal soon joined in, putting the exclamation point on the beatdown. The Maharaja then grabbed the WWE Championship and raised it above his head before leaving with it, sending the clear message that he was as serious of a threat to Orton’s title reign as anyone.

Just days before his House of Horrors Match with Bray Wyatt, WWE Champion Randy Orton brawls with Erick Rowan in a No Disqualification Match.