'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
If there’s one pay-per-view Randy Orton is synonymous with, it’s Survivor Series.
He was the sole survivor in his first three elimination matches at the event and was one of two remaining members of Team SmackDown in their 2016 victory over Team Raw.
"The Apex Predator" is among the four confirmed Superstars who will represent the blue brand again in 2017’s traditional 5-on-5 match, alongside Shane McMahon, Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura, and there’s a good chance it will turn out to be another memorable PPV for the 13-time WWE champion.
In this article, we take a look at five reasons why, after three years as a good guy, it could finally be time to turn Orton heel again.
#1 Orton wants to be a heel
Randy Orton was one of the most despicable heels in all of WWE when he cashed in his Money In The Bank contract to bring an abrupt end to Daniel Bryan’s reign as WWE champion at SummerSlam 2013.
However, since the end of his time in The Authority in late 2014, “The Viper” has reluctantly returned to playing a babyface character.
He has repeatedly said during media interviews throughout his career that he prefers to play a bad guy – something he reaffirmed in September 2017 when he was a guest on Edge & Christian’s podcast.
"I’m sick of this babyface thing, that’s for sure,” he told his former WWE colleagues.
#2 Orton is running out of heel opponents
With respect to Aiden English, you know WWE is running out of major heel opponents for Randy Orton when he's taking on "The Drama King" week after week.
"The Apex Predator" has faced every top bad guy there currently is on the SmackDown roster, from Rusev and Jinder Mahal to Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin, and he'll need a fresh feud once Survivor Series is over.
Will he keep battling the likes of Owens and Sami Zayn and continue to do Shane McMahon's dirty work for him? Or will he turn heel and begin feuds with faces like AJ Styles, Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura?
Don’t be surprised if it’s the latter.
#3 WWE Championship pursuit
At this stage of his career, the only goal Randy Orton could realistically target is the World Championship record of 16 title reigns, jointly held by John Cena and Ric Flair.
If you bear in mind that Cena is 40 and has recently started to slow down his WWE career and that Orton is only 37 and is still on television every week, there’s every chance he could reach or surpass 16 title reigns by the time he calls it quits.
To do that, he simply has to turn heel. His short title reign in 2017, and subsequent rivalry with Jinder Mahal was disappointing and nobody needs to see another run with a babyface Orton as champion anytime soon.
#4 Survivor Series is full of good guys
Does anybody else find it a little strange that both the Raw and SmackDown Survivor Series teams are shaping up to be full of babyfaces on each side?
Only six names have been confirmed for the 5-on-5 men’s elimination matches – Kurt Angle and Braun Strowman for Team Raw and Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura for Team SmackDown – and all of them are good guys.
There are plenty of targets if Orton turns on one teammate in particular at Survivor Series. His recent tag partner Nakamura is most likely to face the wrath of “The Viper”, or the latter might simply walk out on his team instead.
#5 Orton is a much better heel
Sometimes somebody is so good at being a villain that, when they act like the happy good guy who we’re all supposed to cheer, it just doesn’t work.
For example, Seth Rollins initially struggled to get fans on his side when he turned face in September 2016, and absolutely nobody bought into Alberto Del Rio as a good guy when he had a change of attitude in January 2013.
Randy is the same. He’s been such a brilliant, credible heel over the years that he just isn’t believable as a face.
Remember when he burnt down the Wyatt Family compound? Or when he flipped Samir Singh upside down on the announce table? Those were heel actions from a babyface Orton, but it’s a heel Orton that the majority of WWE fans want to see in the future.
