12 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE Raw From 2005
11. There’s A Forgotten WWE Romance
Today on, 'WWE Couples You've Completely Forgotten About"...
A fresh faced Randy Orton and Stacy Keibler were an item onscreen right up until Randy hit her with an RKO on the 21 March 2005 Raw. They'd been running around flirting like high school lovers for a while before WWE put that angle on the format sheets. If it felt sudden, then that's probably because it was.
The RKO on Stacy was all part of a plan designed to put across just how far Orton would go when trying to end The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania 21. In fairness, the spot looked great, but this writer had honestly forgotten all about Randy and Stacy’s romance until rewatching Raws from this era. They don't exactly pop up when people talk about the greatest power couples in the biz, do they?
This was a pretty strange period in Orton's career. He'd been excellent as a cocky young brat in Evolution, then threatened to breakout as the next big babyface sensation before turning heel all over again. WWE knew they had someone special on their hands, but they didn't quite know what the best way to use him was.
Yet. That'd change over the next couple of years.
In March '05, the writers used Keibler's misfortune as a means to thrust Randy right into the clutches of 'The Deadman'. That's a little story nugget many might've misplaced in their brain boxes over the years. Technically, Stacy could've been an even bigger part of the story heading into 'Mania 21's now annual 'wrestler tries to end the streak' match.