1. Randy Orton Is The Unified, Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Champion
Randy Orton is back where he belongs atop the WWE Universe. The Viper slithered away from relevance a few years ago, seemingly cast aside after his WrestleMania 25 loss to Triple H and his feud-ending defeat at the hands of John Cena in late 2009. During WrestleMania Season, Orton had been reduced to a mere bit player since then, hard to believe as it may have been given his stature as a headliner or main-eventer of several key editions in "The Granddaddy of 'Em All's" ascension to its current heights. After winning the Undisputed (call it what you will) Championship at TLC, however, Orton has stamped his return to the main-event. Of all the top tier players in the WWE today, he was the one that seemed the most likely to wind up on the outside looking in come April yet again. He had made such a habit out of it that it would not have surprised many. More so than Cena or any of his other contemporaries, Orton needed to win the title as we round out the remainder of 2013 and get ready for January's Royal Rumble. Much can still change between now and WrestleMania, but Orton is clearly in the driver's seat for a major match at "The Show of Shows." Speculation will now begin about a rematch between Orton and Cena. Maybe it will happen; maybe not. Surely, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk would not mind throwing their names into the hat of the potential next suitors for the Unified Championship. Time will tell us all of those answers. For now, let us simply appreciate the official end of an era. The brand split has been over since Triple H started calling Raw the "Supershow" two years ago, but the merging of the two titles that came define the Raw vs. Smackdown Era signifies finality. Let us also congratulate Randy Orton. His career could have spiraled out of control after his second Wellness Policy violation in the spring of 2012, but he kept working hard, having strong matches, and begging for the chance to turn heel and get back to his comfort zone. Well, he's back. In a great match that lived up to the standard that he and John Cena set years ago when we last saw a chapter in their rivalry, Orton reclaimed an important position as the top heel in the WWE today. When he is on his sadistic game, only CM Punk is in his league as an antagonist. Orton and Cena did not offer the most brutal TLC match of all-time, but it was intelligently executed and paid attention to history, adding intangibles not often seen from the gimmick.