WWE Payback 2013: Is Daniel Bryan or Randy Orton More Likely to Turn Heel?

At WWE Payback, Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton will team up to challenge WWE tag team champions Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns of The Shield, but will either Superstar turn heel?

Just prior to WrestleMania 29, I questioned who was more likely to turn heel between John Cena and Randy Orton. Neither one did make the move to the dark side, but this Sunday could be different. In order to determine who is more likely to turn, let’s discuss each Superstar’s situation.

Randy Orton

It seems as though a regular conversation WWE fans are having is about whether, or rather when, Orton will turn heel again. The Viper has experienced a lot of success as a babyface, but he was the top heel of the company in 2009. In that year, he won the Royal Rumble and led the successful group known as Legacy.

On a recent episode of SmackDown, Orton and Bryan squared off against the tag team champions. Bryan accidentally dropkicked Orton instead of Rollins. As a result, Orton delivered an RKO to Bryan after the match.

This could have been seen as the start of a heel turn for Orton. He could finalize it at Payback in a number of ways. Orton could desert Bryan during the match or attack him. Then again, Orton could have just been getting back at Bryan for that one miscue.

Daniel Bryan

Bryan turned heel in late 2011 when he cashed in Money in the Bank on the Big Show to become the new World Heavyweight champion. Throughout 2012, Bryan’s heel status helped him get over with the WWE Universe as he would continuously have shouting matches with fans at ringside.

However, his popularity and dysfunctional partnership with Kane quietly turned him back to a babyface. He and Kane enjoyed an eight-month reign as tag team champions until last month.

When they lost the titles, Bryan began to show different emotions. He became more hostile and angry, believing Kane and others see him as the weak link in Team Hell No.

This rising anger could lead to a heel turn like it did in 2011-12 or perhaps he will continue to be an aggressive babyface who gets a push.

Conclusion

It is completely possible that both Bryan and Orton, or neither of them, will turn heel at WWE Payback, but if only one is going to do it, Bryan should be the choice.

Orton’s heel turn is not going to surprise anyone and he is not going to be the same heel he was in 2009. WWE has become more PG, meaning Orton can no longer use the punt, except at Extreme Rules.

With the direction WWE is going, Bryan’s heel turn will make a bigger impact.

Bryan will be popular whether he is a babyface or heel so it really doesn’t matter. As long as he continues to entertain, he will be a future world champion again. Orton may be a more logical choice, but Bryan is a bigger part of the future in WWE.

Who do you think is more likely to turn heel at WWE Payback? Daniel Bryan or Randy Orton? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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