10 WWE Stars Loved For The Wrong Match

8. Randy Orton

MANIA X SEVEN
WWE.com

Loved for: Randy Orton Vs. Cactus Jack, Backlash 2004

An indictment of Randy Orton's nominally impressive WWE legacy is that many reach to the match that made him, more so than any of his matches as a made man. But what a match it was: a wincing hardcore war structured perfectly to position Orton as the Real Deal, the notorious pin cushion spot only worked as well as it did because the brash young upstart entered such a great heel performance ahead of it. It was a grand and deserved reckoning for the disrespectful 'Legend Killer', paying off both the events of the match and the wider character arc.

Deserves as much, if not more credit for: Randy Orton Vs. Christian, Money In The Bank 2011

Randy Orton, and it's often hard to remember this, considering the apathy that comes with his overexposure, has contested several awesome matches over the years. Overshadowed by the CM Punk Vs. John Cena programme and with little incentive to revisit, given how drastically terrible WWE was in 2011, Orton Vs. Christian was nonetheless remarkable. Orton excelled with an opponent of Christian's stature, both in how ragdolled him around the ring and levelled up to his athleticism, performing at Money In The Bank '11 a choice spot in which he evaded a corner charge and rolled him up with a unique pin.

Great storytelling within the matches and the storyline, Orton Vs. Christian was treasure on an island of garbage.

Contributor
Contributor

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 current Undisputed WWE 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!