This isn’t a surprise to anybody who has known Randy Orton for the past 10 years. The 12-time World champion has a past of demeaning younger wrestlers and halting their push. Triple H is the one with the shovel for WWE and Orton simply has the attitude.
During a Kofi Kingston push that almost got him to the main event-level of WWE programming, he had a match with Orton that included a #1-Contender match for the WWE championship at the Royal Rumble. Near the end of the match, Orton hit Kingston with an RKO and immediately after, Orton yelled , “STUPID! STUPID!”
Fast forward a few years and Randy Orton is at his games once again. A WrestleZone exclusive is reporting that there is major backstage heat on the St. Louis, Missouri native for halting the babyface push of Roman Reigns.
“WZ has learned from WWE sources there is enormous heat internally on Randy Orton for what many members of the locker room perceive to be a “crowd killing” style against Roman Reigns during the WWE house shows this weekend.
“Several of the wrestlers in WWE, seeing payoffs down and just getting paid for WrestleMania, are worried Orton may be slowing down Roman’s progress to the top, where a new babyface star is needed since John Cena can’t be expected to carry the entire load, and Daniel Bryan’s future is uncertain with his nerve damage and possible need for a second surgery.”
A WWE superstar contributed to the report by saying, “If Roman’s the guy, then Roman’s the guy. Whoever is the guy, we need to get this guy over bigger than ever, not hold him down in rest holds and hope no one gets hurt. We’re in the wrestling business, Bumps and bruises happen.”
According to a previous report by The Inquisitr, the Reigns-Orton matches at the WWE live shows from over the weekend were said to be very mediocre. If this trend continues, WWE cannot be happy and something must be done to preserve a potential show-stealing SummerSlam match.
The problem cannot be with Reigns, who is the future of the WWE and potential giant babyface. Why would a young upstart-WWE powerhouse work lazy and frustrate the backstage officials? That would be a killer to his career before it ever started. Orton comes with a history of attitude problems and egomaniacal practices. He wants to be the best and not put over anybody. That’s merely an accusation on my part, but the proof is in the pudding.
Even HHH and John Cena wouldn’t do that to a young guy, and that’s saying something about two future WWE Hall of Fame wrestlers who people accuse of burying talent on a regular basis.
Overall, this situation could get ugly for the WWE. It isn’t easy to reprimand somebody like Orton, who is one their best superstars. If it does continue, expect a major punishment coming his way. Reigns getting over is essential to WWE’s future. Until Bryan comes back, Reigns is the guy. It must stay that way.
[Images via WWE.com and Fanpop.com]