Randy Orton Will Become WWE's Top Babyface After Extreme Rules

Randy Orton is in his element as a top heel.

He's cocky and confident. He's ruthless and aggressive. Every time he stares into the camera, he does so with soulless hatred, and every time he opens his mouth, his words are ice cold.

But that same guy is once again a major babyface at WWE, and after Extreme Rules he will be the top babyface in the company.

Many fans are likely wondering exactly how WWE got to this point with The Viper. He's so good at being bad and was the worst of the worst for so long that to imagine him in another role was very hard to do. But that was before Seth Rollins went from being Mr. Money in the Bank to being WWE world heavyweight champion.

Now Orton's former spot has been filled, and Rollins is doing a great job.

Rollins is Orton when he was riding high with Evolution. The former Shield architect is brazen in his belief that no one is better, smarmy beyond words and wholly confident in his ability to win. Rollins wears the character very well, as perhaps no other rising star in WWE is more comfortable in his own skin.

But it's not just their characters that are similar but also the talent they both possess in the ring.

The ability to carry a match, to be both fundamentally sound and methodically explosive at the same time, puts Rollins and Orton on the same level.  Orton may be the veteran of the two, but it's not easy to see that when Rollins is on his game.

And he's on it all the time.

credit: wwe.com

Rollins' ascension to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the attitude that goes along with it transformed him into the company's top heel and arguably its best worker. This opened the door for Orton to take a step back, to pursue a new direction and embrace the fans once again.

The positive crowd response Orton is receiving is on par with the amount of hate he received as a heel. It's a testament to how much the fans respect him and how far Rollins has come since joining The Authority.

One has directly affected the other.

But Orton's popularity and role as WWE's top protagonist is coming at time when the man who has held that spot for so long is perhaps in danger of missing time once again. Daniel Bryan's physical status is in question right now, and if he does go on the shelf with injury, his "top babyface" label will almost certainly fall to Orton.

credit: wwe.com

Much like Rollins' replacing Orton, Orton seems to be replacing Bryan. Within less than three months, Rollins has become the top heel, Orton has returned as a strong babyface and Bryan is seemingly on his way out.

The timing is perfect for Orton to take over Bryan's role. He can't replace the connection Bryan has with fans, of course, but he can be the hero they need in the short term. Fans need to believe in the good guy; they need that presence to support against the rule-breaking element that Rollins represents.

Orton is the right face at the right time, which will be fully evident after Extreme Rules.

If he loses to Rollins due to interference, his popularity will increase. If he is able to get a measure of revenge on Rollins for betraying him months ago, he will get over even more. So even if he does not leave with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, fans will still support Orton as the man who can elevate to that spot on any given night.

And of all the faces at WWE right now, Orton is in the best position to bring down The Authority. If that happens, he will grow stronger than anyone can perhaps even imagine.

It's a win-win scenario for Orton, as he is poised to possibly become more popular than he ever has been. WWE needs a strong leader in that role, and The Viper is the best man for the job.

Dolph Ziggler is a close runner-up, John Cena is still loved by his fans, Roman Reigns is getting over more and more every week and Brock Lesnar will surely bring the house down if he returns and goes after Rollins. But Orton is the one to wear the white hat on the highest level.

He is helping Rollins every time they're in the ring together and can do the same for any heel he faces after Extreme Rules. Guys like Rusev, Sheamus and Bray Wyatt need established faces to play off, and Orton can be the perfect opponent for each man.

A match between the most popular Superstar and a villainous heel equals fan interest, which means money for WWE. It's an important spot, and Orton is more than up for the challenge.