Can someone help me understand the booking of Randy Orton

[newteenforbb]

I can usually get a pretty decent read on where WWE is heading with certain superstars and angles but when it comes to Randy Orton, I am truly baffled. I guess that makes part of watching him fun but it could also be frustrating as a fan.

First of all, the pattern he seems to be on in the last few months just keeps happening over and over again. We see him dominating RAW, especially in the final two weeks leading to a PPV. This has happened, for example, before Fatal Four Way, Money In The Bank, and SummerSlam. And in usual WWE booking 101, that means Orton goes on to lose at the PPV. And he does. In fact, he hasn't won an actual PPV match since WrestleMania.

Second, I seriously wonder what WWE's reasoning is behind continuing this bizarre pattern. Is Orton's health too much of a question, so WWE would rather keep him away from the championship? Do they just want him to shine enough to stay popular but not come close to being the face of the company? Is it his attitude that still turns off the higher ups? Is PG television just the wrong type of environment for Orton? Maybe he just works better as a full fledged heel? Or is the rise and concentration of new superstars (Sheamus, The Miz, Nexus, etc...) more important? It could be any of these reasons or something else entirely.

So, I am truly left puzzled as to what they are doing. How long do they expect the WWE Universe to continue cheering and being on Orton's side if he continuously comes up short of the big prize?

Does anyone have any idea as to what WWE's booking is when it comes to The Viper?

 

[WWEFreak]

The Viper won the last ppv if im not mistaken by DQ, I think WWE is trying to book him as a Face/tweener dominating the roster. RKO is at his best, and they want to utilize him as best as they can as well as build up and coming superstars. So him being a contender is the best way to keep him in the title picture and giving some rub to Shameus, because when you think about it if he was champion and he beat Shameus it would be kinda hard for a newcomer like him to stay in the title picture. hope this help

 

[titadab05]

I can usually get a pretty decent read on where WWE is heading with certain superstars and angles but when it comes to Randy Orton, I am truly baffled. I guess that makes part of watching him fun but it could also be frustrating as a fan.

First of all, the pattern he seems to be on in the last few months just keeps happening over and over again. We see him dominating RAW, especially in the final two weeks leading to a PPV. This has happened, for example, before Fatal Four Way, Money In The Bank, and SummerSlam. And in usual WWE booking 101, that means Orton goes on to lose at the PPV. And he does. In fact, he hasn't won an actual PPV match since WrestleMania.

Second, I seriously wonder what WWE's reasoning is behind continuing this bizarre pattern. Is Orton's health too much of a question, so WWE would rather keep him away from the championship? Do they just want him to shine enough to stay popular but not come close to being the face of the company? Is it his attitude that still turns off the higher ups? Is PG television just the wrong type of environment for Orton? Maybe he just works better as a full fledged heel? Or is the rise and concentration of new superstars (Sheamus, The Miz, Nexus, etc...) more important? It could be any of these reasons or something else entirely.

So, I am truly left puzzled as to what they are doing. How long do they expect the WWE Universe to continue cheering and being on Orton's side if he continuously comes up short of the big prize?

Does anyone have any idea as to what WWE's booking is when it comes to The Viper?

Hm, let's see...

Extreme Rules - lost to Jack Swagger (clean)

Over the Limit - Draw by double count out with Edge (which may have been impromptu as Orton injured his shoulder part way through that match)

Fatal Four Way - Cena loses championship to Sheamus after a Nexus attack renders both Edge & Orton out of the deciding pinfall.

Money in the Bank - Won by the Miz

Summerslam - Randy Orton defeats Sheamus via DQ

So, since Mania he's been the guy with the biggest push, but he's also been on the "meh" side of many decisions. He's only won one bout (via DQ) and hadn't been involved in the decision three out of the other four pay per views. However, he has been a part of every major push since Mania with Swagger, Sheamus and, because of Money in the Bank, Miz and, most likely, now with Nexus.

The way it's shaping up, Barrett should win the title as they've used Orton as this force for many of the other guys to get more over with the crowd. He's playing the role of Anti-Hogan & Anti-HHH where, instead of burying people, he's giving them credibility. While I don't think winning the title will put Nexus over as they're already over with everybody, that seems to be the path they're taking if you go by the recent history. I don't think Barrett should get the title (yet) but if they give it to him, you'd have to think that the Nexus will be involved.

However, adding the elimination stipulation means that either Orton or Cena (or both) will have to get pinned on the same night in the same match and the last time something like that happened....

Well, Chris Jericho walked out the unified world champion, so, don't forget about him just yet

 

[titadab05]

the question i have is "can someone help me understand randy orton and all the hype behind him?!

seriously the man is fucking boring, incredibly overrated

How is he boring? He doesn't say much, but when he does he usually cuts great promos. Just so long as they can keep him in the character that suits him, which right now I call the serial killer character, they will be just fine.

He looks demented, almost as though he has a split personality between mean and just evil/demented. I like that we can have the anti-hero, which is the character he plays to perfection, and with his incredible talents as a wrestler and with the charisma & in-ring storytelling he does all put into one package, he's the best in the WWE if not the world right now.

 

[Cmac3311]

How is he boring? He doesn't say much, but when he does he usually cuts great promos. Just so long as they can keep him in the character that suits him, which right now I call the serial killer character, they will be just fine.

He looks demented, almost as though he has a split personality between mean and just evil/demented. I like that we can have the anti-hero, which is the character he plays to perfection, and with his incredible talents as a wrestler and with the charisma & in-ring storytelling he does all put into one package, he's the best in the WWE if not the world right now.

Well put. How in the world can you say Orton is boring? That's the reason I watch RAW half of the time lol, to see an out of nowhere RKO or hell even a hooked rope DDT. The guy is getting bigger pops than John Cena and he hasn't changed a bit, instead he's now on the face side during tag matches. The guy has busted his ass over passed 5-6years and has finally found the character he was born to play, cheers to the "Viper!"

 

[johnbragg]

Or is the rise and concentration of new superstars (Sheamus, The Miz, Nexus, etc...) more important?

Yeah, that. Orton's place at the top of the card for the next ten years is as solid as it can be. They need more pieces of the Wrestlemania XXX puzzle to replace guys like Kane, Undertaker, Mysterio, Edge, Jericho, Big Show who are leaving soon, plus guys who have left lately like Angle, RVD, JBL, Booker, HBK, Flair, Batista, and even Lashley and Anderson. (Not to mention Guerrero and Benoit).

How long do they expect the WWE Universe to continue cheering and being on Orton's side if he continuously comes up short of the big prize?

I'd say, at least until there's any indication of his popularity fading. I'm sure that someone is at a desk at WWE HQ looking at merchandise numbers, ticket sales and speed with various combinations on the poster/card, maybe even measuring audience pop. Less likely, an unpaid intern tracking message boards sentiment for rumblings of discontent. As long as those numbers for Orton are sky high, keep doing what they're doing with him.

 

[Davi323]

Perhaps the WWE finally realized something that some fans have known for a long time. Randy Orton, challenger is FAR more interesting than Randy Orton, champion is. When Orton has the belt, his promos get boring and repetitive. His wrestling gets toned down a bit. When he doesn't have the belt, he is flat out a better wrestler, in every aspect, his promos are better, his matches are better, his intensity is better. Some guys are better chasing a belt than wearing a belt. Orton is one of those guys.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

I'm not personally a huge Orton fan, but I honestly don't see what's wrong with his booking. He's been one of a handful of guys to stay consistently in the main event for the past five years or so and he has the best character of his career right now.

Honestly, it seems the complaint is that despite being in the main event picture solidly all year, he hasn't been a world champion since 2009. Since I'm still waiting for Matt Hardy and Christian to get title runs and the former is starting to look pretty grim, my only response to that I guess would be "tough titties but the milk's still good."

I'd be shocked if anybody but Barrett (or maybe Jericho, if I can stay optimistic about him sticking around) walks out from this next PPV with the title, so I guess another bit of disappointing booking for you. Seriously though, Orton could probably go a couple of years without a title run and he'd still be doing fine.

 

[3,000 Pound Gorrilla]

There are certain guys who don't need the "strap" to legitimize them as super stars. No one complained when HBK didn't have a title. Or 'Taker. Now, I am not saying Orton has achieved that level of acclaim... yet. But, I think Orton has moved past the need to have a belt to get over.

He is out right HOT right now. He is blowing the roof off venues. He doesn't need a belt to be over with the crowd.

And, there you have it.

 

[sleamey316]

I'm a big Orton fan. And I think they know that Orton is huge right now and that by having Orton go over Cena again it meant that Orton is beginning to be the face of Raw. I think they are preparing for a Cena heel turn and that they are using Orton to replace Cena as the most popular face on Raw.

 

[Y2JChrisJericho]

I am also someone who thinks Orton is overrated, his promos bore me and same with his in ring style, but that doesn't mean they're not good, just not for me. He may have not won a match since wrestlemania on a PPV, but it isn't like he looks weak now either and nor has he even been pinned in some of the matches aside from the Swagger match. Right now they're booking Orton just fine, he looks strong right now (stronger than ever) and plus he's putting people over. He's constantly in the title picture though, and I'm hoping for some change after Night Of Champions but it looks like majority of the people feel as if he's going to win the match. Right now i'm just hoping Orton gets in feuds like he was with Edge, have Orton in a feud where he isn't in the title picture. I must admit that i'm interested in a face-face feud with Cena, even though they've done that many times it'll be refreshing to see Orton as a face in this feud now. He's really over right now so I expect the "WWE Universe" (I hate that term) to always cheer for him, no one is going to stop cheering for him because he isn't getting wins at PPVs, that sounds absurd to me because if you're over that's all that matters, win or lose. It's a misconception that people say you have to win mostly every match at a PPV to be over with the crowd, I agree with that to a certain extent, but Orton is an established star so it doesn't really hurt his credibility or anything.

 

[The Raven's Epitaph]

Did you honestly just call Randy Orton "fucking boring" ?

I understand that that's your opinion, but your opinion is evidentally wrong and here's why:

Randy Orton hardly ever says anything on the mic but when he's given a mic, he cuts promos from the heart and he's fully in-touch with the character side of him.. the badass, 'viper' side of him. That's what a good superstar does, they let their in-ring character ingulf their real-life being and let it control them. If Randy had no mic-skills and was shit in the ring then I might agree with you, but as of right now; Randy's on fire.

I mean, have you been watching Raw at all? Or any PPV's? He's performed to the highest quality imaginable on every single PPV and Raw episode he's been featured on. If anybody is boring right now then it's 100% not Randy Orton. He's being turned into a Superman, just like Cena was, but Randy Orton is a good Superman. Nothing hurts him anymore and he RKO's anything that moves. He gets so amped up. He reminds me of Vegeta from DragonBall Z, he's a badass character with all the personality in the world.

I think you should cut him some slack, he's doing his job perfectly, he's in the main event at Night of Champions and he's on fire every single Raw episode. I fail to see how Randy Orton is boring.

 

[brighamosity]

As others have said, Randy Orton doesn't need to win to be over. On the other hand, people like Sheamus haven't built up as much credibility, so they do need wins and titles. If Sheamus jobbed to Cena or Orton and lost the title, that's the end of his push. On the other hand, if Cena or Orton job to Sheamus, it's okay, because people will like them anyway. And as others have said, these main event faces are more interesting when they are "chasing" the title. I really have no issues with Randy Orton's current state. In the perfect world, every wrestler would win every single match and never lose, ever. But obviously that's not possible. Someone's got to lose. And it's WWE's job to decide who needs to win to get over, and who doesn't need the win. Randy Orton isn't particularly being "pushed" right now because he is over without the push. But people like Wade Barrett and Sheamus need that push so they can get over too.

 

[The Best At What I Do]

Yea the pattern is quite noticeable. Excluding WrestleMania, I believe he hasn't even won a single pay-per-view unless it was by dq. The answer is pretty simple however. WWE notices the tremendous pops the guy is getting and realizes they must take advantage of this especially with the severe lack of top faces on Raw currently. But at the same time they can't put the belt on Orton while trying to get guys like Sheamus, Barrett and Miz over and over quickly.

Now if they weren't troglodytes they would've evenly dispersed them among the two shows giving everyone some of the spotlight. But no, let's just have one show so top heavy that the championship match is a six-pack (with a seventh guy waiting with his briefcase) while the other show is so understacked it has to rely on two veterans (that have met in the ring dozens of times) as their championship match.

 

[Chardee Macdennis]

While you pose a very interesting question, I'm going to have to agree with the obvious and overwhelmingly popular answer, that he just doesn't need the belt. Orton has always been bound for greatness and he is at his peak right now. If he can be this hot without the belt, why put it on him when others would benefit so much for from having it.

There are stale Veterens as well as up and comers that the belt would benefit much more than it would Orton. Just my thoughts on the matter...

 

[mrbrownstone]

I don't get it either but I think I know why they are doing it. I think that they want to have Orton look dominant and look like he is finally bout to win the title only tp be screwed out of it, this will continue for a while then at WM Randy is in the title match where he wins after months and months of being screwed out of the belt thus creating a really cool WM moment. I'm not sure I really agree with it as he is basically the hottest thing in the world right now, waiting all the way till mania to give him the belt is risky, he could easily losee his steam between now and then but it seems to me that is what they are planning on doing.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

Orton is far from boring, seriously the RKO is sometimes the only highlight of RAW. I would feel ripped off if I didn't see an RKO at least once every monday night. Randy is on the roll of his career and I do not see it going anywhere anytime soon. I much rather prefer Randy chasing the title then holding it, it just makes it that much more exciting and like everyone else has said, would mean a lot more when he wins it. This has been said before in this forum that Orton should chase the title till WM27 when he finally wins it in his feel good moment. Granted he did have one at WM24 but that was when he was heel and wasnt really a feel good moment for anyone. Although I do disagree on one thing and that is that Randy should not win the rumble again this year despite how over he is. I would much rather prefer him to win the elimination chamber to gain his title shot. Have someone else win the rumble who hasn't won it yet.

 

[Wolf Pac]

The way I see it, I think they're booking Orton as the next Austin. The Viper gimmick with a mix of being a bad ass, the look, the face expressions, the snake nickname, the finisher. WWE must be finally realizing they need a new face of WWE and Orton is that new face. Personally I like it.

 

[Dean Winchester]

I dono why they trying to make Randy Orton the next Stone Cold Steve Austin...but it seems to be working...fans love him and he gets the loudest pops right now. So maybe he might have a pretty long title run as WWE Champion. Have not had a long term Champion since JBL few years ago. His title reign had went on to last like 8 months.