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Randy Orton absolutely shocked the WWE Universe by attacking Edge the night after the Royal Rumble and has been taking names ever since. In fact, his latest victim, Matt Hardy, ended up having his head sandwiched between two chairs after Orton snapped and decided to take out his anger on the former tag team champion.
Not only was this the second career that Orton has tried to end in a matter of three weeks, it was also a sign that WWE may use this storytelling device as a way to move things forward not only leading up to a match with Edge, but for Orton's persona in general going into the future. Whether that continues or not remains to be seen, but the possibility is definitely there for this to happen again.
With that being said and a lot of time to fill between now and WrestleMania 36, where Edge and Randy Orton will presumably have their big match, here are 5 Superstars that Orton could target next. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to tell us what you think of the storyline so far.
#5 Sting
Randy Orton has been destroying WWE veterans left and right over the last couple of weeks, but one has to wonder if the company is interested in upping the ante a little bit. For example, what if WWE was willing to bring in someone like Sting and have Orton attack him during an episode of RAW?
If nothing else, it fits the theme of what the company seems to be trying to do here and could raise the stakes ahead of the seemingly imminent match between Orton and Edge. In fact, with the company needing a few more stop gaps between now and WrestleMania 36, it makes perfect sense for WWE to build up Orton's list of victims in order to make his eventual defeat all the more satisfying.
In the end, it's going to take a while to get to WrestleMania and they can bide time by having Orton trying to end, or even actually ending, multiple careers. It could be a genius way to further this storyline. It might even be a great chance to get some more WWE legends on television and hopefully give the company a pop in the ratings. Plus, it harkens back to his old "Legend Killer" persona, which so many fans remember as possibly his best character work in WWE.
#4 Triple H
Between Orton leaving the WWE Universe in shock after his attack on Edge and then again during his beatdown on Matt Hardy, it seems like the theme WWE is going for in this feud is the idea of things getting personal.
With that in mind and a lot of time between now and WrestleMania 36, why not go ahead and continue to bring up his past? Moving the storyline forward in this manner could lead to the segments becoming must-see television with Orton gets the nuclear heat that the company is seeking before he steps in the ring one-on-one with Edge.
In the end, having Triple H come out and address Orton's actions would be a jaw dropping moment to say the least. Heck, the tension alone between these two in a segment, with their very storied history as friends and rivals over the last 17 years, would be so thick that you could cut it with a knife. The jaw dropping moment of Triple H trying to stop Orton's attacks would pale in comparison to the jaws that will be dropping in the crowd when Orton drops Triple H.
#3 Rusev
The Bulgarian Brute has been off television for a few weeks now, and hopefully some quality time away will allow him to retun fresh and with a clear direction -- maybe even with the crowd behind him as a babyface, which is what WWE tried but only partially succeeded in doing with the storyline between him, Lana, and Lashley.
Rumors have been circulating of Rusev bein in a contract dispute, so why not go for broke and make him the next victim of Randy Orton? At least that way, he can gain some much needed sympathy for being taken out, and then one of two things can happen with him. Either the company can convince him to stay and he can be repackaged or rehabilitated in some way, or they can use a brutal attack by Orton as a way to write him off TV, similar to what appears to be happening with Matt Hardy, whose contract is reportedly ending soon.
#2 Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens have been embroiled in a feud with Seth Rollins, the Authors of Pain, and Murphy. Even when they've had some help, such as interventions by guys like Rey Mysterio, Big Show or The Viking Raiders, it all comes down to Rollins and his cronies having the upper hand thanks to being a tightly knit unit, not a group of different wrestlers fighting for a similar cause. That gives Randy Orton, the viper who stands alone, a great opportunity to strike.
On an episode of RAW, Randy Orton can take out Samoa Joe in a sneak attack, simply for the reason that Joe was there, and Joe was vulnerable. Rollins and his group, who were already backing Joe into a corner, so to speak, would then be lefft to pick the bones. Orton would have to do minimal work (an RKO out of nowhere and he's gone), which is perfect for his minimalist character.
They don't even have to necessarily follow up on it -- Joe already has his hands full with a whole lineup of other guys trying to destroy him at all costs. This could simply be an opportunity to show that Orton doesn't care about anybody. He'll go after you for no reason at all, and that makes him dangerous.
#1 Ricochet
Ricochet versus Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title is set to happen at Super ShowDown and while the ending is a forgone conclusion, how WWE gets there is still important. Fortunately for the company, they might have a perfect way to add more heat to Randy Orton while at the same time making Ricochet an even more sympathetic babyface than he already is.
Think about it! WWE can have Orton destroy Ricochet on the last episode of RAW before the big event in Saudi Arabia, just a few short days away from The One and Only's match against The Beast Incarnate. That way, the company can tell even more of an underdog story than they already had, giving Ricochet an even bigger handicap going into his WWE Championship opportunity. Ricochet is not only going up against the most feared man in WWE, but he's doing it after facing a big-time attack from one of the most vicious men in WWE history.
Everybody wins in this scenario. Ricochet gets to look great by putting up a strong fight against Lesnar, Brock gets to look like an even bigger jerk by beating up on a man who was already an underdog who was then softened up for him by Orton, and The Viper gets to continue his path toward becoming possibly the most hated man in WWE as time comes nearer for Edge to return and finally settle the score at WrestleMania.
