Randy Orton: Breaking Down WWE Star's Upside, Direction and Long-Term Potential

Say what you will about Randy Orton, but there is no denying that he is one of the WWE's top draws, right alongside John Cena and CM Punk. Orton is currently serving a 60-day suspension for his second violation of the company's talent wellness program, so his future is very much in doubt, but Orton is a key figure when he is on the right path.

He is scheduled to be back in time for SummerSlam, so it will be interesting to see whether or not The Viper is trusted with a marquee spot on the card. Orton is just one offense away from being fired from the company, so he and the WWE may have to walk on eggshells moving forward. If Orton is truly a top guy, though, he will be able to stay clean for the sake of the business.

Keep reading for the newest edition in my 25-superstar series in which I break down the upside, direction and long-term potential of the WWE's biggest names. Today, I will take a closer look at Orton and what the future holds for him in the WWE.

Origins

Some people grow to love wrestling while others are born into the business; Randy Orton certainly lands in the latter category. Orton is a third-generation wrestler, as he is the son of "Cowboy" Bob Orton and the grandson of Bob Orton, Sr.

Although Orton initially enlisted in the marines out of high school, he ultimately decided to pursue wrestling and began competing in Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling in 2000.

He was trained by his father and competed for the promotion for one month before being signed to a developmental contract by the WWE. He wrestled in Ohio Valley Wrestling throughout 2001 and became the OVW Hardcore Champion on two occasions. He was called up to the WWE in 2002 and competed as a face before an injury sidelined him for several months.

Orton returned as a heel in 2003 and formed the Evolution stable with Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista.

Orton would win the Intercontinental Championship and eventually became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever, at the age of 24. Evolution turned on Orton, resulting in him becoming a face. Orton would then go on to form a heel stable with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase known as Legacy. After a good run as Legacy's leader, Orton would become face once again in 2010.

Current Storyline

Seeing as Orton is currently suspended, he isn't involved in a storyline right now. Prior to his suspension, Orton had been feuding with Kane. Although he lost to Kane at WrestleMania, Orton ultimately won the feud.

Orton's last appearance prior to being suspended resulted in him delivering an RKO to The Miz on RAW after Miz complained about not getting a title shot of any kind.  This despite the fact that he helped John Laurinaitis become general manager.

It seems as though that was just a way to write Miz off from television while he films The Marine 3, so it is unclear what the plans might have been for Orton.

He has been entrenched in the midcard for much of the past year since losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Mark Henry at Night of Champions back in September. He feuded with the likes of Kane, Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett since then, and he had some great matches with all of them.

Orton is a guy capable of doing good work in the midcard or main event, so he is a versatile performer that the WWE has sorely missed. There is a lack of depth on the roster right now with Orton, Barrett, Miz, Rey Mysterio and others out of the picture.

It may be tough to trust Orton after his second wellness violation, but the WWE is in a position where it almost has to utilize him when he is eligible to come back.

Strengths

For somebody to be near the top of the best wrestling company in the world for so long, they obviously have to possess a wide array of talents. That is most definitely the case with Orton.

Of all the good qualities he has, though, the most important is his ability to elicit a response from the fans. It's fair to say that the vast majority of the WWE roster comes to the ring with crickets in the background, but the crowd explodes every time Orton's distinctive theme music hits.

Some of that has to do with the fact that he is a veteran and has been around for a while, but there is something about his attitude that draws in children and adults alike.

Not even Cena is capable of that anymore, so you have to tip your hate to The Viper. He is beloved and will continue to be whenever he returns. He moves merchandise and is one of the WWE's most marketable superstars as well, and that makes him invaluable.

Another underrated aspect of Orton is his in-ring ability. Orton was never really considered one of the better pure wrestlers when he was younger, but he has continued to evolve over the years and has become one of the top-10 workers in the company, in my estimation.

Over the past year, he has had some of the best matches in the WWE against the likes of Christian, Dolph Ziggler, Rhodes, Barrett and others. That speaks to how far he has come in that regard.

Weaknesses

If there is one overarching thing that Orton needs to improve upon, it is the overall excitement of his character.

I understand that he is supposed to be slow and methodical in everything he does, but there are ways to make that more entertaining. His gimmick appeals to some people, but others have seen it for so long that they wish he would change things up a bit.

Orton has had this gimmick since 2007 for all intents and purposes, and even though he went from being a heel to a face, his demeanor hasn't changed much.

His mic skills tie into that very idea. Orton has never been great on the mic, and while he is serviceable in that area, he could stand to get a lot better.

Orton has come a long way in many areas over the years, but his speaking hasn't really changed. He is very slow and basic on the stick; nothing he says has much substance. It's a credit to him that he has gotten this far without superior mic skills, but he could be so much better if he was a more complete performer.

Another issue, obviously, is his penchant for getting in trouble and violating the wellness policy. He was initially suspended in 2006 and was suspended on another occasion for poor conduct.

Orton's current suspension is his third with the company but only the second related to substance abuse. Whatever the case, Orton is one suspension away from being terminated, so the WWE brass may not be able to trust him enough to put him in a big angle. Orton has put himself in this situation, and he has to prove that he can be counted on moving forward.

Greatest Match

Orton has been a headliner in the WWE for so long that he has competed in countless big matches. My favorite in terms of pure wrestling was his match against Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship at last year's SummerSlam.

Christian won the strap when a stipulation was added to a previous match that the title could change hands on a disqualification. Christian spat in his face, and Orton reciprocated with a low blow. Orton was given an opportunity to win the belt back at SummerSlam, however.

This particular match was a No Holds Barred match, and while such bouts can be a bit tame at times, this one wasn't.

Both Orton and Christian used every piece of weaponry to their advantage, and it made for a fantastic encounter. The technical aspect of the match was great as well, because both men were allowed to cycle through their move sets and do a little bit of everything. Some might say that Christian was the one who carried the match, but it takes two to tango, and Orton more than held his own.

The Orton vs. Christian feud lasted for the entire summer of 2011, and I really enjoyed it.

The prototypical, present-day wrestling fan is generally impatient, so there were a lot of people who were bored with the feud after a couple matches. But the rivalry reminded me of the type of long-standing battle that used to be commonplace in wrestling. It was great to see Christian get a shot at being a main-event guy, but Orton flourished too, and that shouldn't be forgotten.

Career Potential

Orton reached his potential a long time ago, so it would be more fruitful to talk about whether or not he will ever be afforded the opportunity to be world champion again.

In terms of talent and a connection with the fans, there is no question that Orton deserves to reach that level at some point, but there are extenuating circumstances to consider. If the WWE pushes him and gives him a world title, but he tests positive for a banned substance again, then the WWE will be in a very tough spot.

I'm sure that will always be in the back of Vince McMahon's mind as well as the other decision makers within the company. With that said, though, Orton is a guy who is worth the risk.

The WWE won't be able to go out and find a guy whom the fans will support right away because it takes time to build that connection. Perhaps Sheamus is being built as the next Orton in some ways, as he is right there with Cena and Punk; Orton, himself, still has plenty of value.

Orton shouldn't be gifted a spot near the top, rather he should have to earn it.

That means putting guys over in the midcard for a while before he gets another world title shot. I'm sure Orton realizes that he screwed up, so I doubt he would have much problem with going back to square one and proving himself. It may not be an ideal situation for a wrestler of his stature, but he put himself in this position.

How He Gets There

As I said, Orton is going to have to work very hard moving forward in order to get back to his former position. Orton is so vital to the company, though, that I believe he will be able to do it.

The first order of business should be for Orton to properly put Ziggler over. He had a very short feud with Ziggler several months ago, but it never really materialized into anything. Ziggler is the next big thing in the WWE and the likely Money in the Bank winner; he would benefit greatly from going over Orton.

Once Orton puts Ziggler over and does that for a couple of more guys as well, I would like to see him turn heel. Many feel like Orton's character has grown stale, so seeing him go back to his cocky, pre-Legacy gimmick would be nice. That would give him license to get a bit more creative on the mic, and it would give everyone a rest from the Viper persona.

There is actually a lack of established, heel main-eventers right now, so turning Orton would make sense on a lot of levels.

World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus has continually vanquished both Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio, so he could use a new challenger. Orton and Sheamus had some heat prior to Orton's suspension, so maybe that can necessitate a heel turn. Orton is equally popular as a heel or a face, so this type of move should be a no-brainer for the WWE.

Check back daily for new entries in this WWE 25-superstar countdown. Here are the five most recent editions for your viewing pleasure:

9. Alberto Del Rio

8. The Miz

7. Cody Rhodes

6. Dolph Ziggler

5. Daniel Bryan

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