The Unauthorized Story of Randy Orton and The Viper's Strike on WWE by Michael Essany Page B
Authors: Michael Essany
Ads: Link
do?
Part 2: The Viper in Pro Wrestling Purgatory
On April 1st, 2012, WWE superstar Randy Orton turned 32 years of age.
But it wasn't a happy birthday.
For a man widely suspected of being the so-called future of the WWE for close to a decade, once again the third-generation professional wrestler and former world champion would find himself receiving anything other than a major push on sports entertainment's grandest stage.
At WrestleMania 28, Randy Orton "jobbed" to Kane - a two-decade veteran of the sport and nearing retirement from the active roster - in a defeat that some critics and wresting fans would subsequently call "an embarrassment" for the young WWE superstar.
"One year ago," says sports entertainment columnist Rob Manisero , "Randy Orton was in the midst of one of the best feuds in his career: for four straight PPVs, he fought Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship, and the matches got better each time."
"Since losing to Mark Henry at the Hell in a Cell PPV," he continues, "Orton has not gotten a title shot, and has instead been trying to elevate young guys like Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett. Over on SmackDown, however, these feuds were not getting the attention and exposure they truly deserved. This begs the question: Just how much of a top guy is Randy Orton these days?"
According to Manisero, if Randy Orton is frustrated with where his career stands today, it's not without adequate reasoning.
"Randy Orton was considered the No. 2 face in the company last year, but while he was doing the same thing every week, a man named CM Punk passed him for that honor. Punk is getting more exposure as the WWE Champion and continues to garner great reactions week in and week out," Manisero adds. “Now, Orton is No. 3, and he is competing for that spot with the likes of Sheamus (and even Daniel Bryan at times) over on the Blue Brand... I would be frustrated right now if I were Randy Orton. He is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and is seemingly watching people like Punk and Bryan pass him by in the company without really doing anything wrong."
Or has he?
In The WWE's Dog House
Rumors have abounded for months that Randy Orton - or "the Viper" to many WWE fans - was in the dog house with company executive for bad-mouthing the recent return of The Rock to World Wrestling Entertainment.
Many close to the WWE locker room say that Orton is among those who believe the active WWE roster deserves top billing at WrestleMania - not an actor who left the company years ago and returns on a whim to cash a big check in return for one match against the company's top guy (John Cena.)
It's no secret, in fact, that one of The Rock’s most vocal critics upon his return to WWE in February 2011 was Orton, who can still claim the distinction of having topped The Rock as the youngest WWE champion in the promotion’s long and storied history.
In a controversial American radio interview (highlighted by the U.K. Sun), the Viper spewed his venom against Johnson in rather elaborate detail.
"The Rock comes back to our show to do this program with Cena going into WrestleMania and he cuts this promo talking about how he never left and he promises he's never going to leave again,” Orton began. "The WWE has always been a place in his heart and the fans 'if it wasn't for you... Then he wasn't around for weeks to come. He literally said 'I promise I will never leave you again.'”
“Someone had asked me who I thought was better, John Cena or Rock,” Orton recalled during his interview. “I said Rock needs a teleprompter. Rock needs a writer to write all his stuff. Cena is awesome on the mic. When it comes to wrestling in the ring and the technical aspect, I feel as if I blow him away. I feel like I'm more of an athlete. The guy can squat 800lbs, I'm not saying he's not an athlete, but watching him I feel he's a little
Part 2: The Viper in Pro Wrestling Purgatory
On April 1st, 2012, WWE superstar Randy Orton turned 32 years of age.
But it wasn't a happy birthday.
For a man widely suspected of being the so-called future of the WWE for close to a decade, once again the third-generation professional wrestler and former world champion would find himself receiving anything other than a major push on sports entertainment's grandest stage.
At WrestleMania 28, Randy Orton "jobbed" to Kane - a two-decade veteran of the sport and nearing retirement from the active roster - in a defeat that some critics and wresting fans would subsequently call "an embarrassment" for the young WWE superstar.
"One year ago," says sports entertainment columnist Rob Manisero , "Randy Orton was in the midst of one of the best feuds in his career: for four straight PPVs, he fought Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship, and the matches got better each time."
"Since losing to Mark Henry at the Hell in a Cell PPV," he continues, "Orton has not gotten a title shot, and has instead been trying to elevate young guys like Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett. Over on SmackDown, however, these feuds were not getting the attention and exposure they truly deserved. This begs the question: Just how much of a top guy is Randy Orton these days?"
According to Manisero, if Randy Orton is frustrated with where his career stands today, it's not without adequate reasoning.
"Randy Orton was considered the No. 2 face in the company last year, but while he was doing the same thing every week, a man named CM Punk passed him for that honor. Punk is getting more exposure as the WWE Champion and continues to garner great reactions week in and week out," Manisero adds. “Now, Orton is No. 3, and he is competing for that spot with the likes of Sheamus (and even Daniel Bryan at times) over on the Blue Brand... I would be frustrated right now if I were Randy Orton. He is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and is seemingly watching people like Punk and Bryan pass him by in the company without really doing anything wrong."
Or has he?
In The WWE's Dog House
Rumors have abounded for months that Randy Orton - or "the Viper" to many WWE fans - was in the dog house with company executive for bad-mouthing the recent return of The Rock to World Wrestling Entertainment.
Many close to the WWE locker room say that Orton is among those who believe the active WWE roster deserves top billing at WrestleMania - not an actor who left the company years ago and returns on a whim to cash a big check in return for one match against the company's top guy (John Cena.)
It's no secret, in fact, that one of The Rock’s most vocal critics upon his return to WWE in February 2011 was Orton, who can still claim the distinction of having topped The Rock as the youngest WWE champion in the promotion’s long and storied history.
In a controversial American radio interview (highlighted by the U.K. Sun), the Viper spewed his venom against Johnson in rather elaborate detail.
"The Rock comes back to our show to do this program with Cena going into WrestleMania and he cuts this promo talking about how he never left and he promises he's never going to leave again,” Orton began. "The WWE has always been a place in his heart and the fans 'if it wasn't for you... Then he wasn't around for weeks to come. He literally said 'I promise I will never leave you again.'”
“Someone had asked me who I thought was better, John Cena or Rock,” Orton recalled during his interview. “I said Rock needs a teleprompter. Rock needs a writer to write all his stuff. Cena is awesome on the mic. When it comes to wrestling in the ring and the technical aspect, I feel as if I blow him away. I feel like I'm more of an athlete. The guy can squat 800lbs, I'm not saying he's not an athlete, but watching him I feel he's a little
Similar Books
