S.J. Maximus
Championship Contender
Too many times in WWE there have been "New Eras" that have really just been the same old bullshit, but at this point in time it definitely looks like we are finally in the midst of a new time. The Payback card signified that fact IMO, as everyone on the card besides Y2J, Miz, and Kofi were in their first 5 years in WWE. The main roster is full of guys who were "no-names" to the general public at this point last year, and WWE is going full throttle with this new wave of talent.
Unfortunately, the pacing of this new wave seemed to be sped up due to the timing of several injuries to the former "top guys" of the company. Cesaro came back and is hotter than ever. I'm sure Bray will come back with a bang and re-assert himself into top billing. Cena is the face of a generation and will continue to be "The face that runs the place" especially with the bombshell announcement of him hosting the ESPYs. Seth Rollins is arguably the best all-around performer in the world, if anyone should feel secure about their spot upon return it should be him. So my question is, where does this all leave Randy Orton?
At this point, we can all pretty much agree he's the #2 of the last decade after Cena. He has outlasted Batista, Jeff Hardy, Edge, CM Punk, and Daniel Bryan to earn that distinction. With that being said though, he clearly hasn't been booked in that same light as Cena for several years. He can definitely help with putting over these new indie guys but do you really think making him a Dolph Ziggler 2.0 enhancement talent is the best use of Orton's ability and legacy? At 36, he's actually younger than newest WWE main eventer AJ Styles but I'm also not sure if putting him back as a fixture in the title picture is what's best for him either.
Is WWE at a point where they're better off without their Apex Predator? As a huge Orton mark I'd obviously hope not but I'm not sure if he fits in at all with the current direction of the product. Ideally I'd give him the HBK 2005-2010 part time schedule to keep him fresh. It was during that time that HBK put out some of his best performances against the likes of Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, and The Undertaker. Maybe they can do that with Orton these next 5 years and we can see him make some magic with Brock Lesnar, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, and Bray Wyatt.
I've been trying to cut my posts down because I know it's a lot to read, so my apologies. All in all, I just want to hear your opinions on how you think Randy Orton will fit in to this new Indie-dominated era of WWE?
Unfortunately, the pacing of this new wave seemed to be sped up due to the timing of several injuries to the former "top guys" of the company. Cesaro came back and is hotter than ever. I'm sure Bray will come back with a bang and re-assert himself into top billing. Cena is the face of a generation and will continue to be "The face that runs the place" especially with the bombshell announcement of him hosting the ESPYs. Seth Rollins is arguably the best all-around performer in the world, if anyone should feel secure about their spot upon return it should be him. So my question is, where does this all leave Randy Orton?
At this point, we can all pretty much agree he's the #2 of the last decade after Cena. He has outlasted Batista, Jeff Hardy, Edge, CM Punk, and Daniel Bryan to earn that distinction. With that being said though, he clearly hasn't been booked in that same light as Cena for several years. He can definitely help with putting over these new indie guys but do you really think making him a Dolph Ziggler 2.0 enhancement talent is the best use of Orton's ability and legacy? At 36, he's actually younger than newest WWE main eventer AJ Styles but I'm also not sure if putting him back as a fixture in the title picture is what's best for him either.
Is WWE at a point where they're better off without their Apex Predator? As a huge Orton mark I'd obviously hope not but I'm not sure if he fits in at all with the current direction of the product. Ideally I'd give him the HBK 2005-2010 part time schedule to keep him fresh. It was during that time that HBK put out some of his best performances against the likes of Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, and The Undertaker. Maybe they can do that with Orton these next 5 years and we can see him make some magic with Brock Lesnar, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, and Bray Wyatt.
I've been trying to cut my posts down because I know it's a lot to read, so my apologies. All in all, I just want to hear your opinions on how you think Randy Orton will fit in to this new Indie-dominated era of WWE?