WWE Hell in a Cell: What's Next for Randy Orton After Failing to Win the Title?

Moments ago at WWE Hell in a Cell, Mark Henry defeated Randy Orton inside Satan’s structure to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. It was a hard fought battle but the Viper wasn’t able to take down the World’s Strongest Man.

It’s going to be weird seeing the John Cena of SmackDown without the title, but at the same time it’s a sigh of relief. It’s about time Orton steps aside to let someone else have the stoplight.

That brings us to the question, what’s next for Randy Orton? I see three possible outcomes for Orton’s next move.

1. He gets another shot at the title in three weeks at WWE Vengeance.

2. He enters into a feud with Cody Rhodes.

3. He takes a much needed break.

The third option is the least likely of the three. While he does deserve a break since he’s been going nonstop since coming back from his collarbone injury in 2008, he means too much to WWE for them to let him go away for a month or two to rest.

I fear that the first option will end up happening. I fear it because WWE thinks they need Orton in the title picture to keep viewership for SmackDown, just like they keep Cena in the title picture on Raw.

There were reports that Cena won back the title as a response to the record low rating on the Raw before Night of Champions. If ratings go down for the blue brand, that may end up happening with Orton.

I would much rather see Mark Henry vs. Sheamus at Vengeance, but with the Sheamus/Christian feud that may prove impossible. At the same time, we could very well see a fatal-four way match featuring all four men.

That way Sheamus gets his shot, Christian’s whining can stop for a month, and Orton will still be in the title picture.

My personal favorite is option two. I would love to see a Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes program go into full swing. These two had a couple of good matches before the botched ring bell shot last week that sliced Rhodes open the hard way.

The botch could be a blessing, though. That’s the perfect way to set up the feud. Orton almost “ended” Rhodes’ career and now he wants revenge.

Having the Intercontinental Championship involved would be great. Rhodes has been a great champion, but he needs that one big feud over the title to help bring the belt back to its former glory.

The fact that Rhodes brought back the old school Intercontinental Title adds to that. When the title was that design, it was held by many great wrestlers. Bringing back that old school, nostalgic feel could help bring some legitimacy back to the title.

Having Orton win the title could do that too, but I think it would be a bad move to take it off of Rhodes. While putting the belt on Orton could bring some major legitimacy back to it, the title would be watered down due to Orton’s never ending quest for the World Title.

Rhodes would have to win the feud, which we know wouldn’t happen because Orton doesn’t lose cleanly.

The title wouldn't necessarily have to be involved, though. Just have the champion involved in a high profile feud could bring some attention to it; attention that it hasn't gotten in years,

So what’s next for former World Champion Randy Orton? It’s tough to say. It could be one of the options I listed, or it could be something different entirely. I guess we’ll have to wait until Friday.