Randy Orton... WTF?

So I've been wondering lately what every happened to Randy Orton. He was the chosen one in my opinion. When Triple H was on top and running the WWE as the WWE or World Champion he had his pick of opponents and who he wanted by his side. Triple H had DX for years but once that was over he was left alone at the top, that is until he found Ric Flair. Together they decided to form a group called Evolution. The idea behind the group was the 3 generations (The Past, The Present, and The Future). Obviously Triple H was the current Champion so he was The Present. Ric Flair was the semi-retired manager of Triple H so he was obviously The Past. So that only left an opening for a young up-and-coming rookie to be hand-picked to fill the spot as The Future of the company and the world of professional wrestling. For this role, Triple H looked around backstage at all the rookies, he looked at guys John Cena and he passed the all over to pick the 3rd Generation future superstar Randy Orton! 

From there Randy was given the Intercontinental Championship and held it longer than anyone, other than The Honky-Tonk Man of course. Batista was brought in as the 4th man in the group, which I thought was a mistake because they were doing the whole 3 generations gimmick, but changed it to just another Four Horsemen rip-off. Regardless, Batista was just there to hold the Tag-Team Championships with Ric Flair. Randy was still the center of attention, Triple H's right hand man, the future of the business. 

  
Next came one of the biggest moments ever in my opinion. Brock Lesnar had just left and they were trying to put over some new talent, and make someone else the 'youngest champion in history' which was in a sense a lie. Brock Lesnar is still the youngest WWE Champion in history. Randy Orton is the youngest World Champion in history (or maybe just in WWE history). Anyways, I was there when Orton won the belt from Benoit and I thought this was it, the torch was being passed to Orton and he was becoming The Present! The next night I was watching Raw and Batista had Orton up on his shoulders and all was well... until Triple H gave Batista the thumbs down like in the days of the gladiators in Rome and the next thing you know Batista dropped Orton and they all turned on him. 

I assumed this was just to put over Orton. Now he would feud with Triple H and he could be the new Face of the WWE. That didn't really happen. Triple H crushed him and took back the belt reminding everyone that he was in fact still The Present. From there Triple H turned all his attention to building up Batista as the next one instead of Orton. By Wrestlemania Batista was the new Champion. But where was Orton? 

According to Orton's own DVD one of his problems has always been that he insists on taking bigger risks that he should or than the WWE wants him too. You never see the main guy or the top star like Hulk Hogan or The Rock taking a big fall and risking a serious injury. But other guys like Orton, Edge, Jeff Hardy, they have taken too many risks, they get too many serious injuries, their careers wind up either ending because of injuries or addiction (usually to pain medication). First Orton started disappearing because he was out with injuries, then in more recent years he has been missing because of suspension for either steroids or other drugs.

This is what I don't get. He is given the top spot in the company, but he still feels the need to prove himself by taking big bumps and risks that only lead him to injuries. He takes steroids, either to try to get as big as guys like Batista, or to work through injuries he wouldn't have had if he didn't take stupid risks. So what does the WWE do because he pushes himself too hard or too much, do they reward him? No, they suspend him every chance they get. Now they won't give him another title shot because he already has 2 strikes against him with the wellness policy. Meanwhile, guys like Batista and Cena are allowed to take whatever they want, and never have to take any big risks, and always get put in the main event and get every Championship they want. 

Not to mention the money. In a recent article that listed what the top wrestlers are worth, I was shocked to find out that Randy Orton is one of the lowest ranking ones. Triple H passed the torch to Randy first so he should be the #1 guy in the WWE today. But Triple H took that spot away and handed it to Batista instead. So Batista should be the #1 guy. But the same night Batista won the belt at Wrestlemania from Triple H, John Cena took the WWE title from JBL. I guess the WWE decided Cena was a better Champion, so they traded them and sent Batista to Smackdown and brought Cena to Raw. Since then, Cena has always been the #1 guy in the WWE. 

Since then Batista has left the company and other stars have risen to the main event spot but Cena has not left the title picture or the main event. But where is Randy Orton? 

   
When Punk became WWE Champion on Raw in the main event with Cena, Orton was no longer needed on Raw, and with Edge retiring on Smackdown Orton was moved over there to take over as the World Champion. Even though this was a demotion I thought it was a great idea. Since Orton was clearly never going to regain his top spot as the #1 guy on Raw as the WWE Champion, rather than sit in Cena's shadow as he had been for years why not just move to Smackdown and become the 2nd Champion. Rather than lose to Cena he could be winning main events and Championships. But that never happened. Orton won the belt from Christian but then dropped it shortly after. After that he was used to put over the rising stars such as Wade Barrett who through Orton down a flight of stairs. 

In the end, Orton was suspended and since returning is being used as a warm up to put over Dolph Ziggler as the next World Champion. Now he is in mid-card matches with Tensai. Its embarrassing to watch, Orton deserves better than this. 

At Night Of Champions one of the best matches on the show in my opinion was Randy Orton vs Dolph Ziggler. Orton hit the RKO by launching Ziggler in the air and catching him with it. Its nice to see Orton hitting the Diamond Cutter in various ways just like DDP used to do! But its too bad this match couldn't have been for the World Championship instead of that shit with Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio. (OMG he can't use a kick, OMG now he can... who gives a shit?). 

Here's what I would do / have done. Just let Del Rio win the stupid belt already so a Heel can pass it to Orton. Then once Orton is the Champion have Ziggler cash in the Money In The Bank Briefcase and win the belt. This would put them in an on-going feud. It would be great. Or do what Orton said and have the title match before theirs at Night Of Champions, have Del Rio win, then have Ziggler cash in the Briefcase and win the title. Then have Ziggler defend his title against Randy Orton later that same night in an epic main event!

Not only does the WWE not use Randy Orton in the main event, and not only is he not a Champion, but apparently he is the most underpaid wrestler on the entire roster! John Cena has been the top guy for years and has earned around $30 million. Meanwhile, Batista who was only on top or in the company for a short time has earned around $10 million. And what has Orton earned for all his trouble? All he has is $6 million according to this article. To put that in perspective, Jerry Lawler has earned $7.5 million as an announcer. So while John Cena has made $30, and Jerry has made $7.5 announcing, Randy Orton has made $6... I think that is disgraceful.

My advice, put Orton in the main event, give him the World Championship, and pay him some serious money. Don't let him take any risk that may cause him another serious injury and stop suspending him. Let him work with who ever he wants, give him Ziggler or Barrett or a major star. I would love to see Punk vs Orton but the WWE wants Punk vs Cena. (BTW Punk has earned $7.5 already). 

I mentioned my idea before about CM Punk and Randy Orton, with Edge, bringing back the NWO. They are the right guys to do it in my opinion. And those 3 deserve to be major stars. They would work well together in my opinion, but I just don't think it will ever happen. 

Punk has Heyman as his manager now, maybe they could give Randy Orton a serious manager, someone like Ric Flair (who is supposed to be returning to the WWE), or Triple H who is retired now. Bring back Batista and make him and Orton Tag-Team Champions, which is what they should have done back in the Evolution days. 

I don't understand what he did to throw it all away, but Randy Orton will always seem like the start that could have been. He was chosen to be the next Tripe H and in the end he didn't even keep up with John Cena or Dave Batista. Now he's a mid-card, under-paid, loser. What a shame.