4 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (27 March - Results & Review)

2. Sorry, But Fans Aren’t Buying Heel Viper!

Randy Orton Cody Rhodes
WWE.com

So foul that it's worth another scowl.

Look, this might be over-egging the pudding by harping on "heel" Randy yet again, but it's also worthwhile. Why? Well, it's the direction WWE chose for one of the top title scenarios at Wrestle-bloody-Mania. It's vitally important that they get decisions like this right every year, and it doesn't feel like they've come up with the goods in time for 'Mania 42.

Orton was cheered for viciously beating Cardona and targeting his injured arm/wrist, then cheered as he was brawling with Cody Rhodes for what felt like forever. To cap it all off, Randy was cheered again for dropping Jelly Roll with an RKO. Fans keep chanting, “Randy! Randy! Randy!”, and nothing WWE does seems to change that. Cody got a nice pop when he came out of his bus backstage, but Triple H is really forcing things here and it shows.

Perhaps the only slight upside to any of is this is that Rhodes didn’t get booed this week, but that's a small mercy and doesn't cover anyone's tracks. Jelly has been sensational since he started appearing on and off on WWE TV, but did they really think Orton would be booed out of the building for bumping him?!

Time to reiterate something important: This isn't working. Rhodes might get some support in Las Vegas, sure, but most hardcore WWE fans in attendance are going to cheer for Randy to win the WWE Title from him. Beating up the likes of Cardona or Jelly Roll isn't going to turn the ride against Mr. RKO.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.