Riddle Offers Silver Lining for Dull WWE Raw Brand

On the surface, the introduction of the Randy Orton-Riddle tandem the night after WrestleMania felt like WWE's latest attempt to rekindle the magic of the Rock and Sock Connection that captivated audiences and provided laughs for millions of fans during the height of the Attitude Era. 

And it was, but unlike others that have tried and failed, it has succeeded, thanks in large part to the dichotomy of personalities at play and an actual story between the two competitors.

More than that, though, it has become a platform for Riddle to connect with fans and enjoy a brighter spotlight than he had previously. In the process, he has become the sliver lining for a Raw brand that could use one.

An Enormous Personality

One of the major issues with the WWE product, on a grand scale, is a general lack of personality throughout.

Sure, some of the best wrestlers in the world are under the WWE umbrella right now, but the lack of genuine characters sticks out like a sore thumb. Riddle fills that void, demanding attention with his head-in-the-clouds personality and unbothered demeanor.

The way he plays off the cerebral intensity of The Viper is very reminiscent of the way Mick Foley utilized comedic timing to create magic with The Rock at the height of their team.

His interactions with The New Day, his insistence on mimicking Orton's poses as the former WWE champion's music plays, and his trademark scooter entrance have allowed him to leap off the screen in a way that the more one-dimensional personas have not.

Factor in his determination to prove himself to Orton, and you have a genuine character who can charm audiences and get them to invest in him. Sure, he easily could have headed to the ring every week, kick someone's head in with his lightning kick strikes and still managed to get over, but there are several dozen wrestlers in the business who can do the same thing.

By being himself and letting his personality shine on television, he has become someone fans will flock to once the arenas reopen. 

The Future is Bright

One look at the Raw brand right now reveals a decided lack of main event babyfaces after Drew McIntyre. There's Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, sure, but they're one draft away from being reunited with Big E, potentially on SmackDown, so you can't necessarily count on them.

Jeff Hardy has been booked into oblivion, likely by a WWE Creative team that wants to devalue him for when he leaves the company and joins his brother elsewhere as soon as next year.

Drew McIntyre is the only consistent main event babyface the company has at the moment, and he has just about run his course, through no fault of his own.

As long as WWE resists the urge to scrap his partnership with Orton, or drag it on longer than it should, Riddle has the opportunity to turn this recent run into a spot at the top of the card. He is funny. He has charm. He has a character fans can easily identify with. 

Above all of that, he can go when the bell rings. He is a hell of a professional wrestler with a style that fans today eat up. He has had bangers against Bobby Lashley, Sheamus and AJ Styles in recent months, proving he can hang with former and current world champions.

Monday night on Raw, he battled McIntyre and Styles in a Triple Threat match that could have headlined any pay-per-view on the schedule.

Riddle has the tools to be a main event star, and booking trends, combined with the return of fans to arenas and their likely connection with him, suggest that time should come much sooner than later, bro.