Account
Randy Orton and RK-Bro Is Riddle's Ticket to the Top of WWE Raw
August 18, 2021
Amid the repetitive rematches and creative abyss that has come to define WWE Raw is a charismatic former MMA fighter who has risen to prominence as The Original Bro; a fun-loving, scooter-riding babyface whose adulation and admiration for Randy Orton has resulted in not just one of the best storylines in the company but also a vehicle for himself to reach new levels of stardom.
In just a few months, Riddle has emerged as one of the bright spots on WWE's flagship show and has the very real opportunity to turn his most recent run as one-half of RK-Bro into a legitimate and long-term main event run.
The Lovable Babyface and Reluctant Veteran
Riddle is a head-in-the-clouds babyface, so utterly oblivious to everything around him that it's almost endearing. He loves to laugh, smile and have a good time. He's not the prototypical serious, intensely focused good guy that WWE churns out as frequently as Charlotte Flair title reigns.
That obliviousness has helped fans connect with the character on a personal level. His off-the-wall goofiness is relatable, a hell of a lot more so than being stone-faced and championship-focused all the time.
His comedic timing helps him stand out among the other flavorless options on the show. He is different and that uniqueness has helped him jell with 14-time world champion Randy Orton, one of the aforementioned serious characters as likely to punt kick a Superstar in the head as he is to befriend them.
It is Orton who has made the partnership a success, though. The chemistry he has developed with Riddle and his reluctance to embrace the idea of teaming with the carefree competitor has engrossed fans.
We saw it as late as Monday night, when the crowd in San Antonio erupted as The Viper finally reunited the team.
The audience genuinely wants to see Riddle succeed and Orton lower his guard. They want to see them interact, bring new sides out of each other and achieve greatness together.
RK-Bro will have that opportunity when they challenge AJ Styles and Omos for the Raw Tag Team Championships Saturday in Las Vegas at SummerSlam and should be considered the favorites to win the gold. A title run should not cloud fans' perception of the endgame, though.
Orton will turn on Riddle, and it is in that betrayal that The Original Bro will find his greatest success in a WWE ring.
The Inevitable Breakup and Superstardom
When Orton inevitably betrays Riddle after a loss, the former professional MMA fighter will have the chance to achieve his finest moment in a WWE ring.
Fans will feel a certain amount of sympathy for him and want to see him avenge the backstabbing at the hands of someone he invested his trust in. They will want to see him get angry, to show aggression.
Yes, having fun and joking while zooming through the backstage area on a scooter is a great way to separate yourself from the rest of the pack but knowing when to turn on the badassery is key to achieving excellence at the next level.
Look no further than Kurt Angle and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
Both knew how to crack a joke, to have some lighthearted fun, but they also understood when it was time to lace the boots and beat the life out of an opponent. Riddle will find that motivation in a feud with Orton.
It will bring out a side of him that lets fans know that, behind the flip-flops and snapbacks, his highness is a world-class ass-kicker.
Working with a veteran who has performed at the highest levels in professional wrestling will only help him get to the point both Riddle and WWE hopes to reach.
Orton's knack for minute details elevates almost everything he does. Even the critically-panned feud with "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt was exponentially better because of his understanding of the power of facial expressions and body language. His timing is impeccable, and everything he does in the ring is smooth.
Riddle will work with, learn from and excel because of Orton, both as teammate and foe.
What started as a wacky and mismatched tag team, the likes of which WWE far too often relies on to tell stories because of its general inability to come up with anything else remotely fresh, has become a star-making vehicle for a guy whose connection with the audience has never been as strong as it is now.
If he can keep from picking fights with Goldberg or infuriating management for any of his unique personality quirks, the future is bright for Riddle.