10 Quick WWE Fixes To Save Randy Orton

9. A Feud With James Ellsworth

Randy Orton
WWE.com

If Randy Orton, having dispatched of Rusev in the autumn months, suddenly found himself with little to do, a filler pre-WrestleMania season programme with James Ellsworth might necessitate a sorely-needed expansion of his stale repertoire.

How can you lock that which has no chin?

It's a facetious suggestion, obviously, but one with a degree of truth to it. Beautiful catch RKOs excepted, Orton has done little, if anything, to change with the times. The answer isn't to arbitrarily add new moves to his set, à la John Cena and his sunset flip powerbomb, but Cena at least wrestles a faster, more popcorn style in 2017. Orton seems to staunchly distance himself from any sort of progression - ironic, given that he rose to prominence within the Evolution faction.

He might have a point in his anti-#...dive stance. It all depends upon which side of the spectrum you sit. But his trademark methodical match structure is old hat in this new workrate world - sad for some, but no less true. Besides which, Kevin Owens' chinlock spot (when not overdone) is miles more entertaining, aligned as it is with his fan-trolling, trash-talking character.

Orton seems to employ it as liberally as he does out of habit - a habit he needs to kick. It isn't beyond him. Reports of him sh*tting in Naomi's bag are few and far between.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!