Don't Push Omos, Breaking Up Orton and Riddle, Lance Archer, More Quick Takes

Now is the time when it starts to become apparent who WWE has its sights set on featuring prominently heading into WrestleMania season. Based on what we've seen in recent weeks, though, Omos should not be among that elite group.

The company's latest attempt to get a giant over as a legitimate threat to the rest of the roster is well on its way to failing. As physically impressive as Omos is, he has shown nothing in the ring or on the mic to indicate he'll have what it takes to thrive at a main event level.

Thankfully, Raw has no shortage of stars, with Randy Orton and Riddle on the verge of reentering the singles ranks. The popular tandem lost the Raw Tag Team Championships last Monday and are clearly on a collision course for WrestleMania 38.

All Elite Wrestling also shook things up on Wednesday's Dynamite with the return of Lance Archer. The Murderhawk Monster made an immediate impact by attacking AEW world champion Adam Page, though it couldn't be more obvious he's being set up to be a stepping stone once again.

This installment of Quick Takes delves into the developing Page vs. Archer feud, when RK-Bro should cement their split, Lita resurfacing on SmackDown, and more.

In spoiling several of the surprises for this year's women's Royal Rumble match ahead of time, WWE has generated a ton of buzz for the annual Battle Royal. The biggest takeaway next to Impact Knockouts champion Mickie James taking part was that Lita will be returning to the ring for the first time since 2018.

Lita's appearance this past Friday on SmackDown added fuel to the fire, leaving viewers to wonder whether WWE has more in store for her beyond the Rumble. She announced her intentions to win the whole thing and earn the right to challenge for a title at WrestleMania 38 before laying out Charlotte Flair with a Twist of Fate.

The most likely payoff to the angle will be Flair eliminating the WWE Hall of Famer from the match and having that be it. However, with the SmackDown women's division lacking serious depth at the moment because of departures and injuries, the idea of keeping her around for the Road to WrestleMania should be considered.

The Raw Women's Championship picture appears to be locked up with the likes of Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Doudrop and Rhea Ripley all in the mix at the moment. Flair, on the other hand, doesn't have any obvious opponents other than Sasha Banks; and if The Boss isn't cleared to compete in time for the April 2-3 showpiece, Lita would be a strong second choice.

Shotzi and Shayna Baszler would be quality opponents for her as well. As long as Lita is up for it, the blue brand would benefit big time from having her around through The Show of Shows.

Some prospects progress quicker than others, but Omos' recent matches are enough proof that he won't amount to the singles superstardom WWE likely expects him to.

After a short-lived run in NXT, the former college basketball player was fast-tracked to the main roster as a masked ninja for Akira Tozawa and later as the bouncer for Raw Underground. Once that concept met its demise, he was paired off with AJ Styles in hopes he would improve his in-ring work by learning from one of the very best.

They were a solid team, but it was evident throughout their time together that Styles was simply hiding his weaknesses. The end of their alliance was the worst thing that could have happened to Omos, who has failed to impress on his own.

His past two matches on Raw, albeit brief, were not suitable for someone being built up to a top level. He would be perfectly fine in a midcard role, but if the idea is for him to eventually feud with the likes of Bobby Lashley or another competitor of that caliber, his inexperience will cause him to fail.

WWE should be applying the effort and television time invested into Omos into Styles, Finn Balor or anyone else with a better chance of excelling at main event level.

Following a three-month absence from AEW programming because of injury, Lance Archer wasted no time in making his presence felt by attacking Adam Page in his return on Dynamite and setting his sights on the AEW World Championship.

March will mark two years since The Murderhawk Monster arrived in the promotion, but he's accomplished little in that time. He's had a handful of shots at the AEW world title, as well as the TNT Championship, but has come up short every time.

Other than a brief reign as IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship in 2021, Archer has largely been utilized as a stepping stone during his time with AEW. His pending program with Page over the top title is expected to be no different.

The biggest issue with his booking is that fans have no reason to take him seriously as a threat to the title at this point. He's exceptionally talented and should be a far bigger deal than he is, but Page vs. Archer in no way feels like a main event-worthy match for Revolution on March 6.

He needs to win when it matters most. That victory likely won't come against Page, but this could be the rivalry that gets him back on track at the very least.

For many months on AEW TV, Malakai Black hinted at the possibility of building his own faction. He took the first step toward building The House of Black on Wednesday's Dynamite with the debut of Ring of Honor alum Brody King.

The two were already linked through PWG, where they're the reigning tag team champions, and their chemistry is strong. Although they would be an excellent addition to an already stacked tag team division, House of Black must add more members to ensure its leader stays a singles star.

Fans have speculated that PAC and/or Julia Hart could eventually join after Black misted them both in the face. Hart is a better fit with Varsity Blonds, but PAC should be considered an option, with Rey Fenix out injured and Death Triangle almost never appearing as a unit.

Similar to King, it could easily be someone who isn't on the AEW roster at the moment such as former NXT champion Karrion Kross, whose non-compete clause is set to expire in February. Buddy Matthews (formerly Buddy Murphy in WWE) is another name to keep an eye on given his history with Black.

Above all else, the faction should serve as a vehicle to get Black to where he belongs: the main event scene.

Everyone knew RK-Bro's run as Raw tag team champions wouldn't last forever, but their loss of the titles to Alpha Academy last week was a shocking development for most fans.

RK-Bro defeated AJ Styles and Omos, The Dirty Dawgs and The Street Profits before finally losing to Alpha Academy when the audience least expected it. There was a chance they held on to the belts long enough to defend against Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 38, but now all signs point to the reluctant partners going one-on-one at the marquee event instead.

The tandem of Randy Orton and Riddle has been among the best parts of the red brand since the pair joined forces last spring. The Viper turning on his former teammate and returning to his heel roots always seemed inevitable.

The Royal Rumble on January 29 would be a predictable place to pull the trigger on their split, but if WWE wants to drag out this feud until WrestleMania, it should be saved until closer to The Show of Shows so the program doesn't peak too early.

Tension can be teased in the men's Rumble match, and The Viper can finally sever ties with The Original Bro sometime around Elimination Chamber.

Orton vs. Riddle has the potential to be a WrestleMania show-stealer if their feud is properly booked beforehand.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.