Who Will Be The First To Capture Championship Gold Again: CM Punk Or Randy Orton?

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I'll give it 90% Orton and 10% Punk for the following reasons. Orton is the top heel on RAW so whichever face wins it next, Orton will be the next likely contender for the title. Sheamus retained but I can see him losing in a triple threat or fatal four-way with Orton involved. Punk is the second top heel behind Batista on Smackdown and I don't think Batista's feud with Taker is over. You also have Mysterio and soon to be Morrison in the main event and Punk is still feuding with Truth and Hardy so I think it will take Punk longer to capture gold again.

 

[The Best At What I Do]

While I love the guy, there isn't a good chance of Punk regaining that title any time soon at all. In fact the only way I see it happening within the first half of 0'10 is if Rey somehow actually takes the title from Taker then stops Batista from crushing him for it, then he would have to move on to a feud with Punk. Another thing against Punk is his questionable main event status. No one would deny Orton is a main-eventer. Kofi beating Orton elevates Kofi higher. R-Truth beating Punk seems to bring Punk down unfortunately. Orton is fully established in the WWE upper card and while Punk should be as well, he is just booked far too weak. I would very much appreciate another Punk reign but another Orton reign is inevitable.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Well, I see pretty much everyone went with Orton, but I'm going to throw another scenario into this thread. I was fully expecting Sheamus to lose the strap to Cena last night, but it didn't happen. Sometime before that match, Orton cut a promo on how he wants to punt Kofi next week. Now I highly doubt Kofi will get punted because he's really on a roll, and I doubt WWE would just take him of TV for a couple of months with a kayfabe injury.
So lets just say Orton goes on to feud with Kofi for a little bit longer, and Cena continues to chase Sheamus for the WWE championship. Where will that leave Orton in all of this? With The Legacy break-up teased once again, maybe Orton will feud with them going into Elimination Chamber or Wrestlemania? Maybe he'll stay on the mid card for a while?

There's a chance Undertaker could lose the WHC before Royal Rumble. If he does, I don't think Batista/Mysterio for the title would happen until Wrestlemania, as someone already mentioned. Around Royal Rumble or EC the wheels could be set in motion for the rematch with HBK or some other big name opponent, leaving Taker out of the world title picture. Maybe, just maye Punk would get a shot at the title if Mysterio is champion. Punk could always lose the title in the EC match to either Batista or Rey, which could set up a match between the two at Mania. What do you think?