Analyzing How Randy Orton's Star Is Falling in the Shadow of Brock Lesnar

Randy Orton is the Viper, one of the most accomplished main event Superstars in WWE. He is a 12-time WWE and World champion, and his championship pedigree has seen him at the top of Vince McMahon's company for much of his career.

Over the past year, Orton's role as a top star in WWE was there for all to see during the Authority vs. Daniel Bryan storyline. He was hailed as the face of the company and was arguably the top heel for much of the past 12 months. But then Brock Lesnar became the new WWE World champion and Orton's star now seems to be falling.

It did not happen that quickly, of course, and that change was not something that happened overnight. But all things considered, it does seem that things did move rather fast for the Beast Incarnate.

The wheels were set into motion at WrestleMania 30, when Lesnar pinned the Undertaker and ended the most famous streak in WWE history. It was a night that many fans did not expect, and when it happened, it sent real waves among the WWE faithful.

credit: wwe.com

Why did the Deadman go down?  Was it his idea or was he asked to do it?  More importantly, why was Lesnar chosen as the one to put him down?

The answer to that is perhaps made very obvious now, as Lesnar is indeed the WWE World Heavyweight champion. That win came at SummerSlam over another company icon, John Cena. Cena was believed by many to be the one who would emerge victorious from the match and once again fans were surprised.

But the way Lesnar won was shocking.

Lesnar completely dominated Cena. Cena had virtually no offense through the entire bout, and by the time it ended, many fans were likely shaking their heads in amazement. Lesnar has worked only two matches in the past five months but came away from both with wins over the Undertaker and Cena.

WWE is obviously committed to the notion that Lesnar is an unstoppable monster, a war machine of the highest order. He had two names on his hit list and Paul Heyman has crossed both of them off.

credit: wwe.com

Now, Lesnar is the absent champion, used only on TV when needed and utilized on pay-per-view only when necessary. And despite all of that, many fans feel that he and Heyman are the top heel duo in WWE. But where does that leave Orton?

Wasn't Lesnar's spot supposed to be his? WWE spent the better part of the past year trying to convince the audience that Orton was the new face of the company, the man that was by far the best Superstar to represent WWE to the masses. Of course, that was the propaganda supported by Triple H and the Authority.

And just because Orton was presented as WWE's top guy, that does not mean that he actually was. The truth is that Cena has always been Mister WWE, the one who has basically carried the company on his back for over 10 years. Orton has been a workhorse, a great co-star during that time but not necessarily the leading man.

But that is indeed how WWE promoted him during his run as champion in the Authority. That was the image that fans were asked to buy into and many of them probably did. The fact is that if anyone deserved the opportunity at that mantle in the first place, it was indeed Orton.

He has a proven track record of success, and his character is one of the most dangerous in the company. He has operated as a top heel for a long time, and it seemed as though nothing would change that.  

However, when Lesnar was booked against Cena at SummerSlam, many fans likely began to wonder what it meant for Orton. And when Lesnar won the title that night, those same fans surely wondered where Orton now fit into the company.

Orton has been used against Roman Reigns recently, in a feud that could bode well for Reigns and his potential future as a main event star in WWE. Orton is playing the role of the veteran leader in this rivalry, perhaps to do his part in giving back to the company's next generation of Superstars.

But in the meantime, he is somewhat fading in Lesnar's shadow. Despite the fact that Lesnar is not on TV, Orton does seem to be playing second fiddle as WWE's most dangerous heel. While the Viper has done an admirable job of being a despicable antagonist, how could he possibly measure up to the total carnage of Lesnar?

The truth is that there could very well be no one in the WWE locker room that can compare to Lesnar, so perhaps it's unfair to judge Orton based on that premise. But at the same time, Orton's effectiveness as a legitimately lethal heel is being put to the test by Lesnar, who has never looked better or stronger.

WWE could decide to take advantage of this situation and possibly turn Orton babyface to challenge Lesnar. The pop that Orton would get has the potential to be massive as many fans do want to see him succeed in the company. But until that happens, Orton will likely continue in the role that he now has.

And his star may indeed just keep falling as he does.