10 WWE Roster Trades That Must Happen In 2017
2. Randy Orton To Raw
Randy Orton is more compelling today than he has been in years. His union with the Wyatt Family has completely revitalised him as a character, particularly after his disastrous return, and few would complain if their story rumbled on for much of the year. Orton feels genuinely edgy for the first time in half a decade, but everyone knows where the story’s heading, and it won’t be long before WWE pull the trigger.
Orton will eventually turn on the Wyatts, and him and Bray will finally wrap their feud up. WWE have already sown the seeds by highlighting the mistrust between Orton and Luke Harper, and the split could happen as soon as the Royal Rumble. They’ll need a new direction for Orton when he finally concludes this Wyatt Family business, and moving to Raw would work well for him.
Orton is one of WWE’s marquee superstars, but SmackDown doesn’t need him. Dean Ambrose, AJ Styles, John Cena, and The Miz make for a great rotating cast at the top of the card, and it’s hard to see where he’d fit into this group. On Raw, he’d have a series of fresh matches with guys like Kevin Owens waiting for him, and he’d be an immediate boon to the brand’s shoddy main event scene. Furthermore, strapping the Universal Title around his waist would give the belt a huge jolt of credibility, which is exactly what it needs at the moment.