Let's Play The Feud I

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I'm beginning a installment in which I name feuds over the past decade in the WWE and you will explain why they are underrated, rated correctly, or overrated. Let us begin with the Undertaker/Randy Orton feud from 2005.

It all started when Orton challenged Undertaker at Wrestlemania. The match itself was spectacular and Undertaker won thus giving him a 12-0 record at Wrestlemania. Orton revealed himself to be one of Smackdown's draft picks by interfering in Taker's match against JBL. From there, Orton would get the upper hand at Summerslam with the help of his father. At No Mercy, Orton and his father defeated Taker in a casket match and then set the casket on fire. Undertaker would return at Survivor Series and the Tuesday night after, Orton drove a car through the Smackdown set with Taker in the back. However, the Undertaker survived that and declared a Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon in which he would win.

In my opinion, this feud was underrated because it helped Orton tremendously. He was buried by HHH after he won the world title in 2004. His face run was unspectacular and he turned back to the cocky heel we all know and love. Soon after his feud with Taker, he was challenging for the world title at Wrestlemania.

What do you think of the Taker/Orton feud and how would you rate it? As always, give reasons why.

 

[The Brain]

First off I’m glad to see you made rated correctly a choice. I see a lot of overrated/underrated polls, but many times the topic at hand is neither.

I’m going to agree with you on this one. You’re right about this feud helping Orton tremendously. Orton’s face turn was a failure. I believe the original plan was to have him main event against (and win the title from) Triple H at WrestleMania 21. He lost all his momentum by the time Mania rolled around. There was even a point where I thought he would go against Christian at Mania. Nothing against Christian, but that would have been a drastic step down compared to the original plan. Challenging the Undertaker was great for his career. Orton never fit the role as a face. Challenging one of the most popular guys of the past 15 years was a good move. Often facing Undertaker at Mania is the next best thing to maineventing. Also Orton is the only guy I ever thought had a legitimate chance of ending Taker’s streak. Although he lost the match, Orton gave Taker a great fight at Mania. The feud carried on until the end of the year and Orton got some good wins. This brought main the event credibility back to Orton that Triple H took away.

 

[The Todd]

It was rated correctly. It is still, to this day, Orton's most talked about feud. His stuff lately with Cena, Batista and HHH, whilst good, have never connected with the fans like the feud with 'Taker did.

The feud was brilliant, the legend killer versus the legend, experience vs youth and the whole personal aspect of it. It did feature perhaps my favourite counter of all time with the chokeslam being reversed into the RKO.

However, I wouldn't call it underrated as people still talk about it often to this day. If it was hardly mentioned I would definitely call it underrated, but as it is I will say rated about right.

 

[Super Crazy]

I'd say the feud is rated correctly. In my opinion this is Orton's best feud and best work of his career. Everyone says the character/heel he plays now is great but I loved the Legend Killer. I knew them billing him as that and him taking that moniker would eventually lead him to the Undertaker.

Orton is one of the few people that I have seen that their face turn while played out correctly has totally failed. Orton plays a heel so much better and for him to challenge the Undertaker I think that gave him a big boost in his career. Although Orton lost I seriously thought he would be the one to gain the rub from ending Taker's streak if it were to happen. This gave Orton back the credibility that he lost with his face turn and feud with Triple H.

 

[666_The_Game_666]

One of the better Orton feuds that we have seen and realy the last good Legend Killer part of his carer to so this was good and had some good matches like the HIAC that was good. But this cemented Orton as a true top name in the WWE i mean he was a name because of winning the title a year before but taking on Taker in 2005 cemented him as a next big thing in the future

 

[TLC]

I've got to say, my opinion of is that's its rated correctly. My reasoning for this is that people still talk about it in a high regard to this day. Obviously it's one of Randy's best fueds, it made him the person he is today, gave him back the momentum which he unfortunately lost. Plus it was during when i loved his character so i thought it was such a great story and one of the better fueds ive seen this decade.