WWE Wrestlemania 28: What Is the Best Spot on the Card for Randy Orton?

Note: The following article contains ***SPOILERS*** from this Friday’s SmackDown, so stop reading if you like to be surprised.

All of the WWE’s top stars know what they’re doing at WrestleMania 28. 

Sheamus is facing Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship, CM Punk is taking on Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship and title of "best in the world," and John Cena is wrestling The Rock in arguably the biggest match ever. 

So, I guess I should say that every top WWE star except for Randy Orton has a clear WrestleMania path, because "The Viper" still doesn’t have a match on the card as of yet. 

I’ve been wondering what Orton’s going to be doing at the biggest pay-per-view of the year for a while now, and we may have gotten our answer at Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings. 

During Orton’s match with Daniel Bryan—and yes, this is the spoiler part—he was interrupted by, of all people, Kane. Much like the Big Red Monster’s random attack on the tag team division on Monday’s Raw, he came out of nowhere to take out Orton. 

My immediate thought: I guess this means we’re getting Kane vs. Orton at WrestleMania 28. 

Indeed, I think this is the likeliest 'Mania option for Orton now, and though I’m certainly not thrilled about it, these two had a Street Fight last summer that was actually pretty damn good. So, perhaps a 'Mania bout between the two won’t be half-bad. 

My problem is not with the likely Kane/Orton match itself, it’s just that I think the WWE could have found a more high-profile role for Orton at WrestleMania 28. 

As much as some fans like to hate on Orton for "never putting others over" or "always being in the World title scene," he spent 2011 turning other SmackDown wrestlers into stars and hasn’t competed for the World Heavyweight Championship since way back in October. 

Another surprising Orton fact: He hasn’t competed for a world title at WrestleMania since 2009. 

See where I’m going here? 

After the incredibly selfless 2011 Orton had—not to mention the fact that he put on a number of fantastic matches—he deserves to be in a major 'Mania match, and the best option for him is to be added to the world title bout between Sheamus and Bryan to make it a triple threat. 

As someone who preaches about the WWE needing to "build up its future," I know this is a bit hypocritical here. But—not to take away from Sheamus or Bryan—Orton is by far the biggest draw on the blue brand. 

He is the clear-cut No. 1 babyface on Friday nights, and he is the guy who fans want to see competing in a major match. 

I’m totally fine with Sheamus and Bryan competing in a singles match (I’m a big fan of both guys), but the storyline setup for Orton to be added to the world title bout is damn near perfect: Orton has had a couple of matches with Bryan now, but has never had a clean finish, and an injury took away his world title shot at Elimination Chamber. 

Orton does have a legitimate claim to one more title shot or at least the opportunity to earn that title shot and work his way into the World Heavyweight Championship bout at WrestleMania. 

"The Viper" doesn’t need to be added to that match because it’ll likely be a great one either way—but there are just too many reasons to throw Orton into the world title mix rather than a forced bout with Kane. 

Orton earned it with his great 2011—he’s going to draw and he’s going to contribute to 'Mania a whole lot more if he’s wrestling for a world title instead of wrestling a Big Red Monster.

Drake Oz is a WWE Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter and ask him any wrestling-related questions on Formspring.