 Orton reignited his feud with Wade Barrett after both were named captain for a traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination match. On the November 11 SmackDown, Orton lost a match to Barrett. On the November 14 Raw, Orton won a rematch by disqualification. His team was defeated at Survivor Series with Barrett and Cody Rhodes being the sole survivors. Barrett then began attacking and distracting Orton during matches. At Tables, Ladders, & Chairs, Orton defeated Barrett in a tables match hitting the RKO mid-air with Barrett landing through the table. Barrett and Orton continued their feud on the December 23 SmackDown, where they brawled backstage and Orton hit Barrett with an RKO onto a car. This led to a Falls Count Anywhere match on December 30 Smackdown, in which Barrett pushed Orton down a flight of stairs, resulting in a herniated disc, which sidelined Orton for four weeks. On the January 27, 2012 episode of SmackDown, he returned to the ring and attacked Barrett. On the February 3 episode of SmackDown, Orton defeated Barrett in a No Disqualification match to end the feud.
