WWE TLC 2011 Results: Why Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett Is Not over Yet

Randy Orton defeated Wade Barrett at WWE TLC on Sunday night in a tables match.  Orton hit the RKO on Barrett, putting him through the table for the win.

This match is the culmination of some serious heat that has been happening between the two men over the last several weeks.  

Wade has never looked better: He has been on quite the roll since he supposedly decided to rededicate himself to achieving his goals in the company.  His reinvigorated efforts—which he deemed the “Barrett barrage”—saw him scoring one victory after another on SmackDown, as well as pay per views.

Of course, the barrage was WWE’s not-so-subtle way of saying that they were deciding to reinvest in the man who just over a year ago was at the top of controversy as the leader of Nexus.

Since those days, Barrett has seen some ups and downs, mostly downs, but now he appears to be back on the rise in WWE.

So, considering that, one would have to believe that this rivalry between he and the Viper is not yet over, especially since it practically just began.

For me, Barrett is a great example of a classic throwback heel—a guy who uses a ruthless attitude, and well articulated swagger—to get ahead.  His ring style is perhaps best described as brawling with a technical edge, as he can go move for move, but also get down and fight it out with any opponent.

Few guys have measured up as well against Randy Orton as Wade Barrett.  Barrett is the perfect foil for the Apex Predator.

Which leads us to the 500-pound gorilla in the room.

Man, that thing is big.

That’s right, the question that is staring us all in the face is one that begs to be answered.  You knew it as coming.

Was Wade Barrett built up to this point, just to put Randy over?

I could be off base here, but it does seem as though Wade went from zero to 60 in a heartbeat.

While I was all for it—I believe that WWE needs as many strong heels as it can develop—I did find it to be rather a surprise that suddenly they decided to go back to Barrett for this renewed push.

For Randy, the truth is: This guy has beaten everybody.  Seriously, everybody.  No one’s left.

So, what do you do when you have a Superstar of Orton’s caliber who has run out of workers to test him?  Easy.  Take him down a notch, and make him look human.

This seems to have been the plan, as in the past several months, he has jobbed to Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler and Wade Barrett.

The losses to Henry signaled the beginning of the work for Randy.  Losing the World Championship to a man the size and strength of Henry was a shocker to some—many did not expect Mark to leave with the belt.

Considering the effort into putting Mark over as the unstoppable monster who had no equal, the only logical conclusion to that angle was him being awarded the World Title.  Doing that at the expense of Orton may have been surprising, but did not totally leave Randy looking like a pushover who was losing his spot.

Then, of course, came the feud with Cody Rhodes—a rivalry that many fans predicted would lead the son of the American Dream to the promised land of main event status.

Cody looked good many times in this feud with Randy, pulling off wins and moments that showcased his ability in the ring, and allowed fans to begin thinking of him as a true contender for the top tier.

But, then Cody ultimately lost the feud.

So, it became clear that building Rhodes up as the man who could get over the hump gave him all the attention and respect that he deserved, because he rose to the occasion. It also made him look very strong.

Even strong enough to take down the Viper.

By Randy winning this rivalry, the statement was made that yes, Cody is on his way up, and is a serious force to be reckoned with in WWE.  He’s earned his way, and has the world at his feet.

But, the statement was also made that Randy Orton is still the man.  Get as big and important as you want, but at the end of the day, you’re not beating this guy.

WWE seems to have moved Randy into the Undertaker spot on SmackDown—the place that allows him to make other guys look good, while continuing to look good himself.

There’s nothing wrong with that, in fact, that’s how it’s supposed to be.

But, for Wade Barrett, he just lost at TLC: Will he continue on the path upward, as Cody has?  Or, will this loss simply just knock him back down to the bottom, where he was doing a whole lot of nothing?

I believe that this is not over yet.  Judging by the match that these two had, and the confrontations that have built up to this point, Barrett and Orton still have a lot of wrestling left to do.

Great feuds make great wrestlers, and if WWE hopes to one day see Wade Barrett as a top guy, then these are the kind of rivalries he needs to get to the next level.

I, for one, am ready for the rematch.