Predicting Randy Orton vs. Brock Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam, Feud Outlook

The Viper will be the next Superstar to challenge The Beast Incarnate, as Randy Orton will battle Brock Lesnar in the main event of WWE SummerSlam on August 21.

WWE made the announcement on the July 8 episode of SmackDown, and though it was questionable considering the proximity to the upcoming draft, it set in stone the marquee bout for the summertime spectacular and gave the company plenty of time to decide on the proper build.

Not that it will take much. The story between Orton and Lesnar tells itself.

The combatants were part of the same 2000 developmental class, earning their stripes in Ohio Valley Wrestling. They were called up to the main roster around the same time. When Lesnar departed the company to embark on other ventures, Orton stepped into his position as the future face of the company.

Orton focused his attention on the squared circle, while Lesnar became a mainstream icon with his performances in the UFC.

In Brooklyn, New York, at the luxurious Barclays Center, they will come full circle when their paths collide at the most significant event of the season.

Who has the advantage?

Which Superstar is most likely to emerge from the dream match with his arm raised in victory?

The Match

Orton and Lesnar will battle for the first time since September 5, 2002, when they take to the squared circle in one of this year's biggest matches. Both Superstars are different performers than they were back then.

Lesnar is no longer the young superathlete in the midst of his first heavyweight title reign. He is a beast of a competitor who is intent on throwing his opponent around the ring with a variety of suplexes in the name of victory. He is not concerned with flashy attempts at new moves or impressing audiences with the amateur skills he learned at the University of Minnesota.

He is a wrecking ball—the likes of which would send singer Miley Cyrus scurrying for safety.

Orton, on the other hand, is a cerebral wrestler.

Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an ability to slither his way out of signature maneuvers like a snake before delivering his own trademark moves in impressive fashion.

His ability to hit his RKO finisher from out of nowhere will aid him against a brute force like Lesnar, whose straightforward assault leaves him open for a quick and devastating finisher.

Orton's most impressive attribute is his toughness, which he has displayed countless times throughout his Hall of Fame career. Whether he is surviving hundreds of thumbtacks in a Street Fight with Mick Foley, regaining the WWE title from John Cena inside Hell in a Cell or silencing Christian in an epic No Holds Barred match, he can endure tremendous punishment and still manage to overcome the industry's greats.

One element of the bout worth watching for is potential ring rust on the parts of both men.

Orton has not competed in a WWE ring since October of 2015 following a shoulder injury. Lesnar, on the other hand, has been absent from the company since his victory over current world champion Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 32.

The Viper has been back at it, running the ropes at the WWE Performance Center, as he revealed on Twitter.

It is unknown if Lesnar, fresh off a decisive win over Mark Hunt at UFC 200, has begun training for his return to the squared circle.

Prediction

There seems to be a lack of energy surrounding the announcement of the Orton-Lesnar match. Perhaps that has to do with the general staleness of the third-generation star's character when he was last seen on WWE television. Maybe fans are more interested in a full-time return to the UFC for The Beast.

Whatever the case may be, the anticipation thus far has not done justice to a match that should surprise the wrestling world.

Lesnar typically rises to the occasion in high-profile situations. Sure, he has had a stinker or two since his return to the company that made him a star, but he has been fairly consistent in making sure both Vince McMahon and the WWE Universe get their money's worth.

The debate of who leaves victorious is dependent on one question: Is Lesnar poised to make a leap back into the Octagon on a more full-time basis? After his impressive victory over Hunt at the latest UFC extravaganza, Lesnar was confident (Note: video contains some NSFW language):

If he is looking to take a hiatus from the squared circle, a win over Orton will be anything but a sure thing.

It is difficult to imagine WWE bringing Orton back from such a long hiatus only to have him drop the match. At the same time, if any Superstar can rebound from a loss, it is The Viper. He has done so countless times before, including clean defeats at the hands of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.

Expect Lesnar to leave victorious, as he has in the majority of his pay-per-view matches. The cover star of the upcoming WWE 2K17 video game, he is unlikely to lose such an important bout when he will be at the heart of a major marketing campaign.

What's Next for Lesnar and Orton?

There is no future for Lesnar and Orton as rivals. The SummerSlam match should be a one-off, a dream match promoted and executed on one night this August with no long-reaching consequences.

One man will win; another will lose; both men will move on to other things.

Orton will become one of the faces of either Raw or SmackDown, picking up right where he left off as one of the industry's most recognizable stars.

Lesnar, on the other hand, could return to the UFC or take another break in between main event matches. Either way, he does not figure to be around much in post-SummerSlam WWE.

Their encounter is designed to drum up interest for the August 21 event while simultaneously giving it a bout WWE Creative can hype as one of the biggest matches of the year. With over one full month for the company to properly hype it and an appearance by Orton on The Highlight Reel at Battleground, it should succeed.

Make no mistake, though—the issues that develop over the next month will resolve themselves in Brooklyn.