WWE: 5 Wrestlers Next in Line for Randy Orton's World Heavyweight Title

Once again, Randy Orton is the No. 1 guy with the gold on Friday Night SmackDown.  And, as with any World Champion, there is already a line forming at his front door.

The freshly painted target on Orton's back is not an unfamiliar logo for him, after all he is the champ, and when you're the champ, everyone is gunning for you.

The World Championship is the top prize on SmackDown, and though Orton's position as one of the company's main guys does not look to be changing anytime soon, the fact is that he does not necessarily have to be the champ all day every day.

Chrisitan's run was, well, it was what it was.  Not a whole lot to brag about there in terms of how he was booked, and how his character was presented. Let's be honest, at the end of the day, he was just keeping the belt warm for Orton.

So now that Christian is seemingly out of the title picture, who is primed and ready to step up to take on the Viper?

Here are my fave five.  Hey, Booker didn't copyright that yet, did he?

5- Cody Rhodes

The WWE Intercontinental Championship has historically been a springboard to the top of the company.

Some of the biggest names in the business have held the title, proving their worth by being the best IC Champion that they could.  If a Superstar could make a relevant Intercontinental Champion, then he would most likely also make a relevant World Champion.

Not so much anymore.

These days, secondary titles are treated as just that, secondary.  WWE Superstars routinely bypass the IC Championship and head straight for the World Title, discrediting and devaluing the belt in many ways.

Perhaps Cody Rhodes will be the exception to the rule.

Cody is an old school type of worker, a guy who uses traditional mat wrestling, but highlights it with some real athletic ability.  He has a good gimmick, a good look, and he knows how to get over in his character.  He is the prototype of the classic Intercontinental Champion.

There is also the matter of Rhodes' history with current World Champion Randy Orton.

While a member of the Legacy on RAW, Rhodes was essentially Orton's hired muscle, doing anything the Viper wanted, and taking the easy way out in every situation.  Now that Rhodes is an established star in his own right, and Orton has turned face, all of the elements are there for a World Title showdown.

With the proper push, Cody can be a legitimate threat to Randy's World Title.  With Rhodes becoming Intercontinental Champion, the groundwork is being laid.  Perhaps all that is needed now is time.

4- Wade Barrett

Wade Barrett has all the tools necessary to be a top star in WWE.  He is a good heel, he can talk, and his calculated, methodical approach to his ring work is perfect for his character.

The guy just looks like a WWE Superstar.  He is custom made for the role.

Despite all of the chatter that he is not being allowed to fulfill his potential in the company, the fact is that Barrett is the go-to heel on Smackdown, and the opportunity to do more with him is always there. 

In other words, don't count him out just yet.

Barrett physically matches up with Orton, and he has just the right attitude to counteract the Viper's immense popularity.  Plus, the heel psychology that Orton employs in his character would not be fully effective on Barrett, who is becoming a master of his own technique.

In many ways, Barrett may be the perfect opponent for Orton.

Wade Barrett's path to the top was evident when he led the Nexus on RAW.  Since then, his career has stalled somewhat.  But with his current feud with Money in the Bank winner Daniel Bryan, he has once again been set on the right track.  He may very well get to the top of the ladder sooner rather than later.

3- Sheamus

Sheamus as the tough, yet cowardly heel who talked a good fight, but whose actions didn't quite live up to his words, was good.

Sheamus as a face who never backs down and takes on 400 plus pound super heavyweights in a bare knuckled brawl, could be great.

Granted, his face turn is very fresh, but the crowd has already been more than swayed in his direction.  Fans are suckers for a vicious heel who suddenly fights the odds and does the right thing.  Sheamus is no exception to this.

Orton is over as a face as well, but with his personality and sinister edge to his character, he could turn again at a moment's notice.  Of course, it would not be necessary for him to do so in order to feud with Sheamus, but the Celtic Warrior needs to be firmly established in his newly minted baby face role if indeed the company is committed to it.

But the real draw of this feud would be the ring work.  Both men bring a rough and punishing style to their game, with Orton edging out Sheamus in terms of overall mechanics and technique.  Sheamus's reputation as being a hard nosed bruiser would mix well with Orton, who also never backs down in the ring.

Sheamus, much like Wade Barrett, has seen his career stall in recent months.  But with the crowd support and his feud against Mark Henry, Sheamus is once again a real threat of World Championship proportions.

2- Daniel Bryan

Why is Daniel Bryan ranked this high? 

Simple.  Look at the pic.

As long as Daniel Bryan is carrying around that blue briefcase, he is a threat to the World Championship.  Though he has said that he is cashing it in at Wrestlemania 28 next year, the truth is that could merely be a work.

He could do it next week.  Or, next month.  On Smackdown, or at a pay per view.  WWE creative can play this card whenever the mood strikes them.  It is a plan B, and if Orton were to end up getting injured, Bryan could be sent down to the ring with a ref, and the landscape of Friday Night Smackdown could change in the blink of an eye.

Be honest here, though it seems highly unlikely at times that Bryan would indeed be given the World Title, he would make a good champion.  He can work his a** off in the ring, and he has intensity that is now beginning to come out more and more with each passing week.

His mic skills may not be on par with some of the other guys on this list, but he is a half step away from being on par with Orton in that regard. 

Until Bryan either attempts to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, or it is perhaps taken from him, the fact is that he is in the top five of potential threats to the World Championship.  Daniel Bryan is in a great position for his career, and if the moment is right, he may very well be higher.

1- Mark Henry

Mark Henry's unlikely rise as the top heel on Smackdown has now reached its highest point.  He has been named the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship  His ship has come in.

Of course,he's probably not going to win it.  After all, Smackdown is Randy's program.

Christian winning the World Title seemed a fluke in some regards, and the manner in which it was retained, left a lot to be desired in terms of adding anything to the belt.  It wasn't Christian's fault, the guy had put his time in and had done everything necessary in order to get his opportunity.  He deserved a title run.

Sound familiar?

Henry could follow the same path as Christian and become the next World Champion, proving that WWE is capable of rewarding loyalty aomng its workers.  He would definitely be the most physically dominating champion the brand has seen in a long while.  He would be more than suited for the role.

But considering that Orton just won the championship back, the chances of Henry winning it straight away, if he wins it at all, may be very slim.  Perhaps this feud will take time, with several weeks for it to evolve and build enough heat to draw a crowd.

In the meantime, Henry is the best possible choice to take the belt from Orton.  His push as the monster heel of the program has been very well done, and if anyone is in a prime position to defeat the Viper, it's Henry. 

Mark Henry is billed as The World's Strongest Man.  But the time may be coming that he will be referred to as The World's Strongest Champion.  Only time will tell.