The following is from the latest edition of Paul Heyman's "Heyman Hustle:"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PAUL HEYMAN: "THE AGE OF ORTON
IS INDEED UPON US!"
A World Exclusive Blog Available Only
In The Heyman Hustle Section of THE SUN (UK)!
Paul Heyman offered his opinions on WWE's decision to go all the way
with 2009 Royal Rumble winner Randy Orton in a very interesting blog posted exclusively in today's SUN (UK).
Key excerpt:
Randy Orton has stepped up in every way imaginable, and his improvement in just the past month has been spectacular to watch.
Just watch the way Orton was in control during the big confrontation with Vince and Stephanie McMahon on last week's edition of Monday Night Raw.
This was Vince's first television appearance in six months. Stephanie had the entire crowd eating out of the palm of her hand with her great interaction with Chris Jericho and his "apology to the crowd".
So here's Vince, revelling in the spotlight, and Stephanie, delivering what could be her best performance ever.
And yet, when Orton stepped into the ring and started talking, he compelled you to watch him.
Orton's control of the mic was masterful. Just six months ago, Orton couldn't compete with Adam 'Edge' Copeland for the bragging rights of being the best performer in WWE because Edge's mic work was far superior to Orton's.
But on this night, on this edition of Monday Night Raw, Orton showcased his extraordinary progress.
Orton delivered his lines with conviction, confidence, and malice. The beating he gave the Chairman was believable, and the confusion he showed after "the punt heard round the world" was perfectly acted.
Orton played this scenario better than even Shawn Michaels could have.
Vince McMahon may have given Randy Orton the chance, but Orton clearly ran with the opportunity and scored huge.
Randy Orton is the leader of a youth movement in WWE that has been very evident recently.
Look around.
Triple H does not have a title, at least not right now. Undertaker, the legendary Phenom, no title. Shawn Michaels, no title. The championships are on the youth.
That's Paul Heyman's take on the situation, and I was inspired to write this before I read it, but it's interesting to have a person that has developed as many raw, young talented individuals as Heyman has done, and get his opinion on the situation.
For me, the scary thing is, Randy Orton apparantely has "gotten" it. What has he gotten, I don't know, but its either maturity, or finally an understanding of the business and waht it takes to be a professional wrestler. Sure, Randy Orton has had his piss poor attitude problem, perhaps a byproduct (and i tend to believe teh WWE realizes the error of pushing essentially a kid) of a push come to soon, but something has happened inside of Randy Orton, and the man is pretty much the best thing in the business right now.
He's had a short career so far, but at the age of what, 28 he's heading into the main event of Wrestlemania. Now yes, I know the term Main Event and Wrestlemania has become increasinly blurred since Wrestlemania XIX, so I'll use a better term, Randy Orton is now entering another Title match at Wrestlemania. At Wrestlemania 20, he was invovled in a huge program with him getting the pinfall vs. The Rock and Sock Connection, at Wrestlemania 21 he was in a great match vs. The Undertaker, at Wrestlemania 22 he was in the World Championship match. Wrestlemania 23 was the first bit of stupid Orton booking with him and Edge being thrown into Money in the Bank, when Randy Orton vs. Edge would have been immensely better for the show, and then we go into last year, when Randy Orton pulled off a rare accomplishment, Heel Champion Retains at Wrestlemania.
Randy Orton has done all of this, long before someone like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan and countless other greats before him even sniffed their first World Title. Now Randy Orton seems to have matured, and it seems that he is about to even shift it into another gear. The great thing about it, he's brining others along for the ride. Guys like cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. essentially rookies, have been entrusted to someone as questionable as Orton.
Simply by being associated with Orton, Rhodes and DiBiase had a chance to go a half an hour in the Rumble last night, and be in the final four. When Orton won the Rumble, instead of being a glory ****e (cough Triple H cough), Orton immediately grabbed DiBiase and Rhodes, and had them share the spotlight with him, that's incredible. Randy orton at the age of 28 has made Rhodes and DiBiase into huge heels simply by association, something I daresay Triple H wasn't able to do with Randy orton in Evolution.
Simply put, Randy Orton was pushed to the moon by the WWE to be the next big thing. Randy Orton's ego probably hindered this, but it's understandable, in my opinion, that an ego came from that push. Look at that push, and look who he was invovled with, and I daresay try to find someone that wouldn't have an ego from it. Now Orton seeminly has emerged into a mature man, and is on the brink of something great.
So I ask you, with guys like Cena, Edge, Triple H, and others still on the roster, is there room for this company to be Ortons, and thus usher in the Age of Orton as the WWE's franchies, or is he still simply a role player?