Why Randy Orton Must Be WWE's Next Big Heel Turn

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After returning from his 60-day suspension from his second wellness policy violation, Randy Orton finds himself in a predicament. 

He is not on the card at Summerslam and he is not taking part in a feud at the moment. 

A definite change is in order, and a heel change is the best possible move for Orton. 

In fact, WWE needs to make him the next big heel turn, and here is why. 

Adding Depth to the World Heavyweight Title Picture

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A heel turn will definitely add a twist to his character, but more importantly, the move will keep him in the World Heavyweight title picture. 

Wrestlezone.com reported that creative once considered making Orton a mid-card talent due to his recent suspension. As troublesome as Orton has been with the two wellness policy violations, it would be foolish to drop someone of his talent to the mid-card. 

Instead, a heel turn would allow Orton to stay in the World Heavyweight title picture and keep his credibility as a top tier wrestler. 

The only contender for the World Heavyweight championship as of late has been Alberto Del Rio. Adding Orton to the mix as a heel can definitely shakes things up by having Sheamus in an underdog role against both heels. 

Lack of Elite Heels

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WWE is missing legitimate heels. Yes, there are attempts at developing heels with the likes Damien Sandow, but there is a void in the upper echelon of wrestlers. 

On Smackdown, the top heel is arguably Alberto Del Rio, who is not billed as an elite heel since he is often seen wrestling against Santino in squash matches. 

CM Punk is the top heel on Raw, but the fans welcome his attitude so much that he’s more of an outspoken babyface than a traditional heel. 

The truth is, the most popular wrestlers today are faces, which can make matches very one-sided.

Orton’s heel turn can definitely change that by filling the void of an elite heel on either show. He can immediately compliment Sheamus’ or John Cena’s traditional babyface personas. 

Legitimizing Sheamus’ Title Run

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As entertaining as Sheamus has been as champion, he has not faced a legitimate contender for the World Heavyweight Championship since winning it from Daniel Bryan in Wrestlemania XXVIII in 18 seconds.

Aside from a 2-out-of-3 Falls rematch against Daniel Bryan, there has not been a real risk of Sheamus losing his title. 

He has spent most of his title run feuding against Alberto Del Rio. He was also up against Dolph Ziggler in this year’s No Way Out, but that was only because Del Rio suffered a concussion prior to their scheduled match and was not able to compete. 

Having a heel Orton can change the perceptions of Sheamus’ seemingly stagnant title run, given that Orton has carried the belt for long periods of time. 

In the Event of a Third Violation

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Since he is coming back from a second wellness policy violation, any move concerning Randy Orton should be made with the possibility of a third violation in mind. 

Making Randy Orton turn heel could possibly save the WWE from suffering an immediate loss of revenue if Orton were to have a third violation. 

Because faces typically sell more merchandise, a heel Orton would lose some marketability at first, but will ultimately be beneficial in case of a third violation. 

If Orton were to violate the wellness policy, sales will not be impacted as much as they would if he were fired a face, all while providing a more compelling character. 

Orton Can Be the Closest Thing to a John Cena Heel Turn

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Last year, a John Cena heel turn seemed all but inevitable, but it hasn't happened; it may not happen at all, but the closest thing to that is having Randy Orton turn heel. 

The results would be similar, although less impactful given that Cena is currently the most popular wrestler. 

Orton is arguably the third best wrestler WWE has on their roster. He is a fan favorite, and a heel turn would be welcomed for the sole shock value. 

He has proven he can be an effective heel in the past, and considering that he has been a face for such a long time, the change would be welcomed.