How do people know if Orton is going to succeed in being face of the company?

[DirtyJosé]

People don't "know" Orton is next in line to be the face of the company. He's certainly the second biggest face on Raw, though in a tweener gimmick. Does that mean that Cena has to turn heel on him for all to be right in WWE-Land? It certainly does not! What is the point of this thread? You don't really ask any questions in the OP other than what's in the title. Could Orton ever be the face of the company? Sure, but not anytime soon.

The fact is that if Orton was a face he would be sucking up to the fans and pleasing them. Telling them how great they are etc...

Funny that the guy was telling you that you weren't old school, when clearly you only possess old school sensibilities. May as well start calling you Mr. Watts now. A top face doesn't need to be a crowd suck up. Sure, cheap pops help, but they aren't necessary to be the face of the company.

Again, if he was selling merch, he would be #1 lol

Selling Merch, and PPV's, and drawing ratings. Don't try to oversimplify the equation to suit your needs. You think only in two dimensional terms. There is much more that goes in to being the top guy than just charity meetings and cheap pops.

Things are to stagnet with Cena as face. We all know this, and a curveball is the way to go.

Do we all know this? No, you just feel that way. Opinion is not fact. And what makes a "curveball" any less predictable if that's all kids like you cry about?

As soon as Cena turns heel (and hell proboly do it to a way over Orton @ that point) ppl will bug out, and once the shift starts taking full effect, those sales numbers will reflect who the face of the brand is.

My god, please learn to type, god knows you've been here long enough to. Yes, an exciting and well written Cena heel turn would probably do good numbers, but that would be true against most anyone, not just Orton. And even if it were Orton as the face, the boom in business would be because Cena turned heel.

But there's always a twist isint there. Because Hogan was still goin strong with the NWO and selling mad merch. He was just one of a kind and no one can deny that.

Proving that merch sales alone aren't what makes the company face.

But I don't think Cena has the Hogan longevity, because I think he's going to do a Rock on us and become a movie star. That seems to be the route to go nowadays and Cena has the cred to go thru with it.

Even though, unlike The Rock, Cena has already stated that for the foreseeable future he plans on remaining in the WWE. Cena makes movies, yes, but again unlike The Rock they are all for WWE's in-house production studio. But you'd know that if you knew what you were talking about.

Orton I agree is super over with the fans, not really sure why though, his outside antics are what I remember most, bitching out fans for asking him for autographs, and bumming ciggies from anyone that he can..LOL

Because he's an edgy anti-hero. People love that. It's difficult to find a guy who can walk that fine line of being an effective tweener, and Orton does just that.

Cena on the other hand is a modern day WWE cartoon character. kids love him and chicks love him, real wrestling fans cant stand him. but then again VKM dont really give a shit about the true wrestling fans, that much is obvious, hence the E going PG.

Oh Jesus, here we go.

"Oh noes! Real men don't like Cena! Only kids and women do!"

This shit is simply and provably untrue. What is it with you entitled brats who feel that anyone who isn't like you isn't a real wrestling fan? Those girls and kids have tickets like everyone else, watch Raw like everyone else, and buy PPV's like everyone else, so how aren't they real wrestling fans? Please explain that one to me. You and your type don't represent even half of the WWE viewership and customer base. Get over yourself.

 

[ForeverRKO]

John cena sells his merchandise because it's colorful ( makes it noticeable ) and because he has more than just a tshirt , if orton had : hats , wristbands , headbands , and all that other stuff he'd sell too , John cena is a superhero , and kids look up to superheroes .. but I'm sure if orton wanted to be a role model to kids he would but he'll have to change his gimmick to imitate that of cena , which is childish and ******ed , orton can succeed as face of the wwe simply because crowd reactions , and the fans love him , after his movie comes out he's going to be making the company a whole lot of money , I'm already waiting for it to come out so I can see it , if the movie succeeds in the box office orton will definately become face of the company .

 

[JGlass]

Just look at him. He is everything that embodies WWE and can damn sure be the face of the company.

Now you see, this is one of those things people say just so they can avoid providing a real explanation. Also, your grammar is just simply wrong. He can't embody something tangible like the WWE, he can embody the QUALITIES that the WWE represents, but even then, he doesn't do that. Right now, the WWE embodies family values and bull shit, not schizophrenia and attacking people for no reason. Is he a hard working guy? Sure, but he's no John Cena.

If Orton was around the time of Stone Cold, then you could say he embodies the qualities WWE pushes, because in the Attitude Era they were pushing edgy entertainment, but right now, he does not embody the WWE, and he especially doesn't embody the qualities the company looks to represent.

He might not sell like Cena in the t shirt department, but the guy can put the asses in the seats.

This is a difficult point to argue, and you very well could be right, maybe Orton is the one putting the butts in the seats. But could Randy Orton support the whole company, play a crucial role year after year after year? Only time will tell.

He is one of the hottest things smoking right now. Look @ all these marks with their "viper" signs. Its just bad ass. Everyone loves a bad guy. And Orton is that bad guy. Yeah, he's face, but Orton will always be a heel to me.

Ah, key words in that paragraph are, "right now." Lot's of guys have been the hottest things for the time being, but eventually faded into darkness. While I don't think that Randy is destined to disappear anytime soon, let's not put all our eggs in one basket. He's on fire, but so was John Cena at one point, and look what happened to him? The fans eventually got tired of seeing him in the main event all the time, and he still suffers from mixed reactions. The same fate is very possible for Randy Orton.

Further more, the rest of your paragraph is total crap. Everyone loves a bad guy... on the internet and in Canada. Most wrestling fans obey the rules and cheer faces and boo heels. Randy Orton is a tweener right now, I'll admit it, and while he is getting face reactions, he is technically a tweener. And if he'll always be a heel to you, then how can he be the face of the company. Even when the "face" of the company was a heel, there was always someone to take over as temporary "face" of the company, like Stone Cold/The Rock.

If Cena left now, sure, it would hurt, but I don't think the company would die. And you don't always have to be a face to be the face. Remember that.

It wouldn't die, but it would take a HUGE hit. I'd imagine buy rates for PPVs would go way down, merchandise sales would take a heavy blow, and there would be a huge spot blown open in creative, considering how much time they invested in Cena's character and storylines. Also, you really do have to be the face to be the face. The face of the company is the hero, the Superman, and the heel is the villain, the Lex Luthor. Of course you know this already, but who would want to buy a comic that sends the message, "Come see this evil psycopath destroy those who try to save the day!" You wouldn't. People want to see good guys beat bad guys, not the other way around. Nobody comes to see the bad guy win.

Austin was far from face when he was running the show. Kayfabe wise, he might have been labled face, but that was something more. And Orton has the same kind of qualities that Austin did. I've made that comparasion from day one, and I won't change it.

But he was a face... The old saying, "If it looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck, then it's a duck," need not apply in the WWE, because of the tweener role. He might be acting a bit heelish, but if the fans like him, they will cheer. He also teamed up with faces, fought heels more often than not, and was always billed as the anti-hero, which is still a hero.

And same kind of qualities as Austin? I wholeheartedly disagree. Besides both of them being tweeners, they are two very different characters. Austin was about 7 million times better on the mic than Orton. Orton wrestles more like a heel than does Austin. Furthermore, Austin was much more relatable to the fans than is Orton. Austin was a guy who worked hard, drank beer, hated his boss, and just didn't give a fuck. Orton is a psychopath who's motives are just strange. The only reason I have for why people like Orton is because he is cool, not because of his personality, or because of his in-ring storytelling, just because he does some cool shit.

I Don't think we will ever see Orton changed too much. With guys like him, you tend not to mess up what's been working for you. Flipping from face to heel is ok enough. He does not need a gimmick rehaul.

Tell me the magical moment when he stopped being a heel and he became a face, where his character/situation changed in a way that made him the good guy. It didn't. People just started cheering for him because he was more likable than DiBiase.

He will unquestionably be the front of the pack in 5 or so years. He is young, hungry, and dedicated. He is a leader backstage and commands respect from everyone. If he ain't up there with Cena already he can't be far behind

.

There is only room for one at the top of the pyramid. Maybe Randy will be able to replace Cena after Cena is over the hill. I don't see it happening anytime before that though.

shit, some citys WWE travel too boo the shit out of Cena and go crazy for Orton. WE made him turn face. And that's not something thatt happens a lot in this buisness. When the fans are behind someone that much, its undeniable to see that this is what a true face of a company looks like.

Audiences can't make faces. Audiences can cheer or boo characters. We are the viewers of the kayfabe world of wrestling, and have little or no impact on the events that unfold before our eyes. If the audience cheers a heel, then it's creative's decision on how to book this character. Orton is still not a face, but he is over as a heel, so he can wrestle other heels like Sheamus.

He might not be "superman" or talk like he's from the wild wild west, but Randy Orton will oneday be bigger than John Cena, mark my words!

Mark a marks words, never a wise decision. People said Mr. Kennedy would be a future WWE champion, that didn't work out so well. I don't doubt (well, doubt completely) that somewhere far down the road, Orton will take over for Cena as the top of the company, but I doubt he'll ever be as popular as Cena when Cena was at his peak.

 

[dman1373]

If WWE is looking for a certain image, then ya they are going to have to change his gimmick.

You can’t just look at what he does in the ring. You have to look at how the outside of the ring is going to be like.

Meaning he is going to have to do tons of charities etc. Interact with Kids and “Make A Wish Foundation”.

The generations have changed now. When Austin was a face of the company, WWE was not thriving to get kids to watch the show, now they are.

So yes things are going to be different.

And it will be interesting to see if the outside world is going to accept Orton.

No offense to you, but i think you are mad that peolple think he should take cena's spot. If I'm wrong then thats my bad, but that is what i'm percieving. Personally I feel as though Cena isn't brining that much to the table besides merchandise. I mean his character has become very stale, and thats not just my a opinion as many people stoped watching raw. Look at the ratings. it went from stable 4's to lower 3's. I personally never really cared for him, but he definitly isn't doing nothing now. The people that you would think would only watch only for him would watch for rey mysterio, or orton, or any other over face just as much, if not more. So if he left, I don't think ratings would drop off. Now Randy Orton, is someone fresh. He is doing something new right now and the wwe needs to capitalize. And he is over with every type of fan. Everyone from smarks to the person that doesn't watch it all the time. For example my step sister. She liked randy months before his face turn. Thats saying alot for a person that only watches the wwe on ocasion. I don't say throw cena out on his butt, but it is time for him to pass the tourch.

 

[WWE Manster03]

Honestly, I don't think Orton will ever be "the face" of the company. He also doesn't have to be. WWE will continue to ride Cena, because although the Internet hates Cena he is the most popular person in the whole damn company. If we draw comparisons, I would say Cena would be more of the Austin and Orton would be more of the Rock. Rock got MONSTER pops from the crowd and they chanted for him, but NOTHING came close to when that glass shattered. Cena is far and away the best thing for the WWE to use as a PG company for marketing, because he is clean cut, works his ass off for the Make a Wish foundation, and genuinely shows his passion for the business. Orton is the bad guy that does things that the fans love, aka pound the mat and hit SICK RKO's on Evan Bourne. I think BOTH will continue to lead the WWE for the next few years, with guys like Sheamus/Miz/Wade Barrett learning from them and taking that role once they leave.

 

[ThePh3nomonal1]

As much as I like Orton as a performer and superstar I do not think he has what it takes to be the face of the WWE, not because of his ring skills because they are obviously above average, but because of what others have mentioned and that is outside the ring.

Randys gimmick is not really one that you would think would go to help kids with sicknesses, this is a man which would be more believable RKOing a kid with cancer. People have compared him to Steve Austin, that is another reason why he shouldn't be the face of the WWE. Because the nineties were definitely a different time and the WWE wasn't looking for kids to watch it. Now they are. So Randy just wouldnt be a good role model for kids, thus he will not be the face of WWE until the PG era ends.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

It's a question that can't really be asnwered at this point..just like say back in 2003, did we have any idea thet Cena was going to be the face of the WWE?? I sure as hell didn't...you just have to let these things come and whether they work out or not, at elast you will know..

As for Orton, he is actually on fire at the moment..looking at how many cheers he gets and how many asses he puts in them seats is amazing...And I don't think he can sell as much merchandise as Cena, but that doesn't mean he can't be face..

 

[I hate those Christians]

No offense to you, but i think you are mad that peolple think he should take cena's spot. If I'm wrong then thats my bad, but that is what i'm percieving. Personally I feel as though Cena isn't brining that much to the table besides merchandise. I mean his character has become very stale, and thats not just my a opinion as many people stoped watching raw. Look at the ratings. it went from stable 4's to lower 3's. I personally never really cared for him, but he definitly isn't doing nothing now. The people that you would think would only watch only for him would watch for rey mysterio, or orton, or any other over face just as much, if not more. So if he left, I don't think ratings would drop off. Now Randy Orton, is someone fresh. He is doing something new right now and the wwe needs to capitalize. And he is over with every type of fan. Everyone from smarks to the person that doesn't watch it all the time. For example my step sister. She liked randy months before his face turn. Thats saying alot for a person that only watches the wwe on ocasion. I don't say throw cena out on his butt, but it is time for him to pass the tourch.

No I don’t need Cena to be champion or to be face of the company to entertain me. I just think people want Orton to be face so bad that they are not thinking this clearly. There are 2 different types of face. There are the ones that are just face and then there are the ones that represent the company and have a certain image.

People want Orton to replace Cena, meaning that Orton is going to be representing the company and could possible have a image change if WWE is looking for a certain image.

Orton is fresh in the WWE world but is the Outside World ready for him?

That is when WWE makes there most money.

Orton has a rep of not being so friendly.

Things are going to have to change and I just want people to be prepared for that. It may not be what they expect.

 

[Awesome]

I think the mistake being made here is the assumption there can only be one face of the company. Before we had Hogan and Warrior, then HBK and Bret, next Roxk and Austin. In each time one guy tended to be the media friendly guy and the other guy was perhaps more down with the fans. I don't see why Randy can't take the Warrior, Michaels or Austin role, leaving Cena to be the other man.

 

[Miss Flawless]

Buddy, people have already been talking about this is previous threads. But, I'll give you the reason (again) why he's NEVER going to be the face of the company.

HIS GIMMICK WILL NEVER WORK AS THE FACE OF THE COMPANY. You said that they might change his gimmick. Not at all. Why would they do that? They would just ruin a perfectly good gimmick that fits him, perfectly. :S

 

[TJ Matics]

It's simple.
Orton has,
IT,
He's already breathing down Cena's neck w/ pops,
& He hasn't even turned to a full fledged face,
When he was a heel,
He got the heat,
IF they turn him face,
He'll defitnetly get the cheers,
He's good looking,
He has the MIC skills when he needs them,
& He's one of the best wrestlers we've got,
Though he's shortened his move set w/ this new silent predator gimmick,
When it all comes dow to it,
Orton can sell out,
Headline,
& Call attention to anything w/ his face on it,
That's why he can be the face of the Company