8 Bad In-Ring Habits That Randy Orton Needs To Change

8. Overuse Of The Elevated DDT

Superstars have finishing moves and they have lesser signature moves, and it terms of in-ring psychology and fostering audience apathy, it's a pretty dumb system. Holding up basic kayfabe logic for a moment, why would a wrestler repeatedly perform a big move after which everyone always kicks out? Why does Ziggler keep doing the Fameasser, why does Cena do the Springboard Stunner? They don't work. Wrestlers and road agents rely on the basic move recognition to pop the crowd, but if no one ever gets pinned by a wrestler's signature move, all tension is lost during the cover, and it neuters the move. Case in point, Orton's Elevated DDT. Often performed with his opponent's feet on middle ropes, he slams their head into the mat, affording them no opportunity to cushion the blow. It should be an absolutely devastating move, and when he first started using it in 2007, during a feud with Shawn Michaels, it was. However, overuse of the move has led it to become 'vintage Orton', and what would be stone cold finisher for another superstar is just another move that the crowd barely pops for anymore. In fact, it's overexposure is one of the reasons that the crowd occasionally grow tired of Randy Orton. After all, it requires too contrived a setup to be used a regularly as it does. Dropping it as a signature and bringing it out on occasion as an alternative finisher would be giving the move the status it deserves and restore the fans excitement upon seeing it. It certainly works for the punt kick. But doesn't that leave Randy Orton a little move-lite? Well, that's part of the problem...