WWE Night of Champions: 10 Things We Learned From Randy Ortons Win

Randy Orton returned to prominence as the WWE champion earlier tonight at WWE: Night of Champions. 

This was the first time Randy Orton has been WWE Champion in the midst of a white-hot babyface run, and despite the fact that Orton has now held the WWE Championship on six different occasions, this feels relatively new and intriguing. 

Amidst the high energy main event that captivated the Chicago crowd for almost half an hour, there were many caveats and subplots that could be taken away from the main event as things we learned going forward.

Big Nasty is the editor of The Big Nasty Athletic Dept. Log on to twitter at twitter.com/bignasty247 and follow him until he presses charges! Friends of Big Nasty hang out at facebook.com/bignasty247.

1. Chris Jericho Is Done With WWE

I expected Jericho to be the first superstar eliminated from this match and he was.  By a mile.

It came as no surprise to me to see Chris Jericho taking the first pinfall loss within the opening minutes of the main event in what was sold as a 'stunning' occurrence. 

Chris Jericho's contract with WWE is set to expire soon, and there have been no reports about an extension or renewal. 

Jericho has been on his way out for quite some time as he focuses on life outside of wrestling, something the WWE frowns upon. 

A few weeks ago on RAW, Jericho vowed that if he failed to capture the WWE Championship, he would leave the company for good. 

While the feeling is that Jericho could very well return to the company sometime down the line, this proclamation was presumably the WWE's way of writing Chris Jericho out of the storylines.  

The scene created when Jericho slowly exited the ring to "Y2J" chants signaled finality as it pertained to Jericho's current run with WWE. 

With the youth movement in the WWE in full swing, the departure of Jericho (who turns 40 in November), while sad, is quite fitting.

2. Sheamus Now Has Two Fraudulent Title Runs to His Name

Continuing one of the most baffling streaks in the WWE, upstart champion (and face of the WWE's current youth movement) Sheamus still has never enjoyed a clean victory at a pay-per-view as WWE Champion. 

In fact, Sheamus' only clean victory in a WWE title match came in a four-second joke of a squash match against Zach Ryder on RAW.

With Sheamus receiving such a strong push on his way up, his lack of dominance as WWE Champion has kept his character in neutral, and even hurts him as a monster heel.

WWE really put over the WWE Championship as a prestigious award both leading up to the pay-per-view and throughout the main event.

However, watching the WWE champion fail to defend the belt successfully at yet another pay-per-view, and having the title change hands for the fifth time in eight pay-per-views says otherwise.

The WWE needs to figure out when the time is right for Sheamus to enjoy a simple, untainted run as WWE Champion.  Then, and only then, should they put such a 'prestigious' title on him.

3. WWE Needs to Do a Better Job of Timing Their Pay-Per-Views

WWE: Night of Champions went off the air at 9:47 CST, 13 minutes earlier than it was supposed to.  Thirteen minutes added to a handful of matches makes a difference, and either way it's just plain unprofessional for scripted events to end well before the allotted time limit.

This is becoming a growing concern in the WWE as previous pay-per-views, including Fatal 4 Way and WWE Money in the Bank, also ended prematurely. 

Considering the main event included six top stars in one match, it is unacceptable for the WWE to end the match so prematurely given the time limit. 

This is one of those problems that, should it be picked up by a savvy enough shareholder, could create an otherwise avoidable quandary. 

4. John Cena and Wade Barrett Will Likely Face off at WWE: Hell in The Cell

In a booking maneuver that will make sense given the circumstances of the upcoming Hell in the Cell pay-per-view, it seems that a Cena/Barrett match up in a Hell in the Cell is inevitable.

Nexus' involvement in the main event cost Cena the match, and it only makes sense that Cena face the leader of the Nexus in a cell where Nexus members cannot interfere. 

This makes more sense than simply putting two guys in a cell because it's the theme of a pay-per-view.

5. Randy Orton and Sheamus Will Likely Face Off at WWE: Hell In The Cell

Remember that last slide?  When I said Cena/Barrett in a cell makes sense given the circumstances?  That it's not just two guys in a cell because it's the gimmick of the pay-per-view?

Well, Orton vs. Sheamus in a Hell in the Cell match would be two guys in a cell because it's the gimmick of the pay-per-view. 

The two were the last remaining participants in the six pack challenge, and with Sheamus all but guaranteed to take advantage of the always ambiguous rematch clause, expect the imminent rematch to take place inside the Hell in the Cell...because that's the gimmick of the pay-per-view.

6. Edge Needs to Go To Smackdown!

Since being moved to RAW, in a preemptive move by the WWE while in the process of moving Smackdown!, Edge's character has soured and he seems to have been lost in the shuffle despite consistently being in the main event.

When was the last time anybody truly felt Edge, a nine-time heavyweight champion, would go over in a World title situation? 

In the past few months on pay-per-view, Edge has been thrown in to the mix in Fatal 4 ways, Money in the Bank matches, six-pack challenges, and 12-man tags. 

In all of these contests, Edge has been treated as somewhat of an afterthought, which is only facilitated by the star power in these matches. 

It's time for a change.  Edge isn't getting any younger, and as the days go on, he is one more day closer to retirement. 

To get the most out of Edge, perhaps it would be best to move the Rated R Superstar back to Smackdown, where he can thrive as just as he did for years as a multiple-time world champion.

7. Barring Injury, Cena Vs. Orton Is Your Wrestlemania 27 Main Event

The WWE gave this match away on free TV, as the main event of a "Season Premiere," to compete with Monday Night Football.

However the WWE protected the sanctity of such a huge matchup with gimmicks, outside interferences, and a questionable finish.

For the second time in less than a week, both Cena and Orton were on opposing sides during a main event, however this time it was part of a six pack challenge. 

The WWE made sure to tease the two going at it, but they were very careful with how much time these two spent in the ring together.

Cena's early exit, combined with the Cena/Orton tease, gave more credence to the fact that Cena and Orton very well may face off in a one on one, winner take all matchup at Wrestlemania 27.

Many feel Cena needs to be heel for this feud to really pop, but I disagree.  Wrestlemania 17, arguably one of the greatest Wrestlemanias of all time, pitted a babyface Rock against a babyface Steve Austin (although Austin turned heel shortly after the match).

Besides, ironically enough, Cena would probably get more heel heat from the Atlanta crowd if he were to parade around as a babyface. 

8. The Seeds Have Been Planted For The Nexus' Demise

The Nexus' involvement in the main event resulted in John Cena's elimination.  However, it wasn't enough to assist Wade Barrett in winning the WWE Championship. 

With Hell in the Cell looming, we will likely see Wade Barrett in a high profile singles match for the second time in two pay-per-views. 

Win or lose, this will be the WWE's way of separating Barrett from his Nexus stable as they invest more time in the promising star.

It is likely that a Hell in the Cell match against Cena, that will likely feature outside interference from the Nexus despite the implications of the cell, will result in a Wade Barrett loss. 

Such a loss will create further tension between Barrett in his stable (storyline), resulting in the (real) singles push of Wade Barrett while the other members fall by the wayside (unfortunately), starting with Michael Tarver. 

9. The WWE Is Still Heavily Invested In a Youth Movement

Despite a familiar face going over in the main event at the hands of a young superstar, the WWE did a good job booking the younger talent.

The six pack challenge main event saw the more established stars (Edge, Jericho, Cena) eliminated before the younger stars (Barrett, Sheamus) as the newcomers to the main event within the past year were booked relatively strong.

10. Randy Orton, Not John Cena, Is The Top Babyface in The WWE

Forget T-shirt sales, forget promotional tours and being the proverbial "face" of the WWE.

As far as being the No. 1 babyface in the company, there is no doubt that Randy Orton is that guy.

John Cena continues to receive his infamous mixed reaction at large venues, a reaction that was skewed heavily towards the negative side tonight, while Orton remains the universal antihero savior everywhere he goes.

It seems the office has finally succumbed to the simple fact that Orton is a bigger deal than John Cena at this point in the ball game as they have finally pulled the trigger on a babyface Orton to run with the ball as the WWE Champion.  

This very real storyline would be a rather interesting caveat in a potential feud down the line between Orton and Cena.

Despite the fact I said Cena and Orton could both be babyface in a Wrestlemania 27 main event, it sure would be intriguing to use such real-life storylines to turn Cena heel if not for one feud.

Big Nasty is the editor of The Big Nasty Athletic Dept. Log on to twitter at twitter.com/bignasty247 and follow him until he presses charges! Friends of Big Nasty hang out at facebook.com/bignasty247.