There is no denying Randy Orton is a future Hall of Famer. Debuting back in 2002, Orton has created his own legacy in 16 years with multiple Championship reigns, Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank, and Elimination Chamber wins as well as becoming a Grand Slam champion and taking part in historic matches, factions, and rivalries. With so much accomplished in his career, Orton is now an iconic figure within the WWE but with no signs of slowing down exactly how can the company get the best out of one of their most popular and legendary superstars of the past decade?
Keeping him a Heel
I will admit that I personally have always preferred seeing Orton work in the role of a heel. He has always come across better, more entertaining, and been a part of better storylines and moments working heel over babyface. As of right now I strongly believe that Orton will have a much better time working as the bad guy considering what we have seen from him in recent years. Many, for a while were rather bored and lacked an interest in Orton but his recent rivalry with Jeff Hardy and work with a returning Rey Mysterio reminded fans of just how entertaining and exciting he can be and there is no shaking off the feeling that back as a babyface he will only fade into the background and fans will go back to having little interest.
Future Killer
During the early years of his WWE career, Orton adopted the role of the “Legend Killer”. Taking out some of the best names to step foot in a WWE ring a young Randal kept fans entertained and totally captivated by his brutal takedowns of legends and memorable matches and feuds with some of the best names in the business. Fast forward to now and Orton has become the legend. Over a decade with the company the former world champion has done and seen it all and we now sit back and watch a brand-new set of superstars make their way to the top. Going back to his roots, the old days and what made him such a main attraction could be a smart and entertaining move. Now working as the “future killer” Orton focusing on the new talent making their way up making sure to remind the likes of EC3, The Velveteen Dream, Finn Balor and more that in order to reach the top they’ll have to get through him and taking out this future Hall of Famer will not be an easy job and make for very entertaining viewing an important work for those up and comers.
A Rare NXT Appearance
Keeping on the topic of focusing on attacking the future of the WWE, Orton making an appearance for an episode of NXT would make for something very special! Now, of course, a permanent spot on the roster is something that’s needed here at all and isn’t something he would, in fact, benefit from in the long run, however, showing up to send a message makes for something very special. Whether it be challenging the United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne in a one-off match looking to send a message to the future and get his hands on more WWE gold, targeting the likes of Johnny Gargano or The Velveteen Dream in a brutal beat down, or setting his sights on Aleister Black before a main roster debut the idea of sending Orton down to NXT is an excellent way to remind the NXT roster what they’re working for but also remind them and the fans that the Viper is going nowhere.
Pushing His Dark and Sadistic Side
Throughout the years we have seen several different versions of Orton’s character but what has always been there is his viciousness and intensity. Fans have seen the more unstable, unhinged, dangerous, and sadistic side of Orton from the moment he arrived on the scene and whether a heel or a babyface he makes this work fantastically well. Pushing that side of his character, even more, has proven within the last few months to work exceptionally well. The feud with Jeff Hardy along with the attacks on Tye Dillinger and Rey Mysterio has reminded fans of just how entertaining that dangerous and barbaric side of Orton is. Within this role, he is standing out far greater than he has done in recent years. What we have seen from him pushes the PG rating and that’s something we generally need to see more of. The dangerous, out of control, and totally sadistic side of Orton sets him apart and if done right in twenty eighteen could be better received than ever before.
Placing Him in a Faction
Again, whether it be Evolution or Legacy, Orton has been a standout in the factions he has been a part of both a key and important figure. His role in both these groups gave his character more edge, space to grow, and a new position on the roster making sure everyone knew just how dangerous he really is. We recently witnessed an Evolution reunion a couple of years back when he alongside Triple H and Batista took on the Shield. Now, that reunion may not have been as strong as many would have hoped but it was entertaining, to say the least, and was a strong reminder of how well Orton works within a faction. In twenty eighteen moving over to two thousand and nineteen there are many options regarding Randy and a place in a faction. Factions remain something the WWE is a little weaker on up on the main roster compared to previous years but if Orton was to find the right superstars to align himself with today then another faction over on the blue brand could shake things up in an exciting, interesting and different way to what personal favourites SAniTY could.
An Alliance with a Female Superstar
To conclude, I have a suggestion that honestly is more something I personally would like to see rather than something that I can actually see happening and it may not be as popular of an idea but I do believe Orton needs something new and a little different. Keeping all the previous points in mind and applying all of those I do also believe pairing the future Hall of Famer with a female superstar could make for something very new for Orton but also something completely different to what we are seeing over on SmackDown LIVE. The problem I do have with this idea is I honestly struggle to think of the right women for the job but keep in mind how good it could be if the perfect pairing was made and the booking was strong. The likes of Mandy Rose do spring to mind of course, with their characters having small similarities and the alliance capable of massively benefiting both superstars.
Those are just some of the options the WWE could explore in regards to Orton today but did I miss anything? Is there something you would like to see Orton do within the next year? The future Hall of Famer will forever be an important part of the WWE but with positions changing, where does he belong today? Let us know @SteelChairMag
All Pics Credit: WWE.COM