1. Randy Orton Loses Everything That Made Him Cool - 2004
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLh00v84Xzg Leading up to Summerslam 2004, Randy Orton was the hottest thing going in wrestling. At only 24 years of age, he was already in main events at Triple Hs side in Evolution, he had just finished off an extended run as Intercontinental Champion, and he pinned Mick Foley at Wrestlemania XX. Now primed to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Chris Benoit, Orton was cheered during the matchin
Canada. The next night, WWE pulled the trigger and turned Randy Orton babyface by having Triple H kick him out of Evolution. And everything that was cool about Randy Orton vanished like that. First off, any babyface turn thats essentially forced by a heel betrayal is doomed from the start. It should have been
Randys decision to leave Evolution, not Triple Hs. Contrast Ortons turn with Batistas the next year. Batista made the decision to leave Evolution, and his turn worked perfectly. Secondly, it seemed that a lot of Ortons mystique came from the badass Evolution theme song by Motorhead. After turning babyface, Orton used Burn in My Light by Mercy Drive, which was a subpar song. Never underestimate the power of theme music in building a pro wrestling character. Finally, the cockiness and swagger that Orton demonstrated as a heel was gone and replaced by a guy who kissed up to the fans. By this point, fans had been used to the anti-hero mold of Steve Austin and The Rock. Guys like Kurt Angle and most recently Bo Dallas actually played
heel roles by kissing up to the fans. They werent having it. Finally, Orton couldnt get pass the glass ceiling that was placed by Triple H. He immediately lost the World Championship to Hunter at the next Pay Per View, and the plan was in place to have
Batista be the man, not Orton. The creative team correctly turned Orton back heel during his feud with The Undertaker leading up to Wrestlemania 21. Orton wouldnt turn babyface again until 2010, and this time, WWE did it the right way by making sure that he maintained the same persona that got him over as a heel. What did you think of this list? Comment below or tweet me
@PocketSeagull.