WWE: 7 Reasons Cody Rhodes Will Win His Feud with Randy Orton

Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes were once friends and stablemates, but those days are long gone, as they're now entangled in a fierce rivalry on Smackdown.

It isn't for the World Heavyweight Championship. It isn't even for the Intercontinental title that Rhodes is currently holding.

Yet, somehow, it's become the most interesting thing on WWE programming.

Orton has put aside his World title aspirations to take on one of the WWE's rising superstars, and Rhodes is hoping that a feud with the Viper will elevate him to the main event scene.

For the latter to happen, though, Rhodes has to get the best of his former mentor in this feud.

Guess what? I think he will.

Here are seven reasons why Rhodes will win his rivalry with one of the WWE's most popular superstars, Randy Orton.

7. Smackdown Needs a New Heel Main Eventer

Sheamus and Randy Orton are Smackdown's two baby face main eventers—Sorry, Big Show, but you don't count—while Mark Henry and Christian are the blue brand's two top heels.

As evidenced by the fact that all these guys have been involved in some sort of feud with each other in recent months, it's pretty clear that Smackdown needs some new main eventers.

I can think of no one better to join them than Cody Rhodes.

He's got a good look, a ton of charisma, excellent mic skills and, most importantly, the in-ring ability to compete for World titles. He just needs to make that jump to the main event scene.

This feud with Orton presents the perfect opportunity to do just that.

6. New Faces on Top

I started to call this the "Youth Movement," but I decided that's not necessarily the right term—the "New Face Movement" seems more appropriate right now.

Here's a look at the WWE's current champions:

"

WWE Champion: Alberto Del Rio

World Heavyweight Champion: Mark Henry

Intercontinental Champion: Cody Rhodes

United States Champion: Dolph Ziggler

WWE Tag Team Champions: Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne (Air Boom)

Divas Champion: Beth Phoenix

"

Del Rio is holding his second WWE title, while Henry just won his first major World title and Rhodes won his first singles title. Period.

You've also got Ziggler in the midst of his first US title reign, Air Boom looking to revitalize the tag team division and Beth Phoenix with her first run as Divas Champion.

See the theme here? It's new faces on top.

Rather than having the titles on Randy Orton, John Cena, Triple H and other veterans who've been around for a while, the WWE is letting different (often younger) guys get runs with the strap.

This movement appears to be in full force, and Cody Rhodes is obviously being booked like one of the guys the WWE will build its future around.

5. The WWE Is Building Toward Something Bigger with Orton

When a major WWE star goes on a losing streak (especially on pay-per-view), it typically means that something bigger is brewing.

When Christian couldn't beat Randy Orton for the World Heavyweight Championship, it led to Captain Charisma turning heel. When CM Punk went on that epic pay-per-view losing streak that lasted the better part of a year, it ended up with him becoming one of the WWE's top baby faces.

I could certainly see something similar happening with Orton right now. Perhaps he'll continue to lose and eventually turn heel (a la Christian), or maybe he'll keep losing simply to build up some more baby face sympathy (a la Punk).

In order for either of those to happen, however, Orton has to lose this feud with Cody Rhodes.

That doesn't mean he has to be pinned cleanly or even that he has to lose his match at Vengeance. It simply means that, when Orton and Rhodes eventually go their separate ways, Rhodes must be the one who's standing with his head held high. 

4. Rhodes, Not Orton, Is the Rising Star

Stating the obvious here, but Randy Orton is already in the prime of his career and has been there for a while.

Cody Rhodes, on the other hand, isn't quite there yet, but he's certainly on the cusp of breaking out and becoming a bonafide main eventer.

Every rising star needs that defining moment where people say, "He's arrived. He's going to be the next big thing."

Rhodes can get that moment simply with one signature win over Orton, but it would be even better if these two had an extended pay-per-view, with Rhodes picking up multiple victories in high-profile matches (Survivor Series perhaps?).

He'd benefit in a huge way if that were to happen, while Randy Orton would still be Randy Orton—he can recover from a loss to Rhodes quicker than anyone else on the WWE roster.

3. Orton Is the Only One Who Can Take Rhodes to the Next Level

There are two top WWE stars who have proven that they can truly take other guys to the next level: John Cena and Randy Orton.

Cena helped elevate The Miz and—as much as I hate to say it—CM Punk, and Orton helped bring Christian and even Mark Henry to the pinnacle of their careers. It's just that Orton and Cena are so popular that it's easier for them than it is for most to help get other guys over.

Cena and Orton didn't always lose to those guys I mentioned, but they did on occasion, and I think it's safe to say that none of them would be where they are right now if it weren't for their World title feuds with the WWE's two biggest baby faces.

Being that Cody Rhodes is on Smackdown along with Orton, it only makes sense for Rhodes to be the next guy that Orton helps get over.

Truth is, until Sheamus spends some more time as a baby face, Orton's the only one on that brand who can do that.

2. Randy Orton Put Mark Henry over

I keep asking myself this question: If Randy Orton can put Mark Henry over, then what on Earth is preventing him from doing the same for Cody Rhodes?

The answer is nothing.

As much as I've enjoyed Henry's recent run on Smackdown and think that he deserved it for being with the WWE so long, building him up is not going to do much for the long-term future of the company.

The exact opposite is true for Cody Rhodes. Putting him over Orton is going to turn him into a star, one that, at just 26 years old, should be around for the next 10-plus years.

The WWE has to realize that, and much like they did with Henry, they have to have Orton be the one who makes sure that Rhodes reaches superstardom. 

1. Orton Doesn't Need to Win This Feud

I know the statement that "Orton doesn't need to win this feud" seems too simple, but it's the truth.

Randy Orton is already one of the most decorated superstars in WWE history, and is one of the three most popular stars currently in the company. There's almost nothing the WWE can do to kill this guy's character and the fans' interest in him.

Thus, losing to an up-and-comer likely Cody Rhodes is certainly not going to hurt him, and in fact, it may help him gain some more respect from the older, smarter fans who want to see him lose more often for the good of the company.

Orton can lose this feud to Rhodes and not a miss a beat. But, if Rhodes ends up losing this feud, then he's right back where he started.

Do the smart thing, WWE. Have Rhodes get the best of Orton in this feud, if for no other reason than the fact that Orton doesn't need to win it.