5 Times Randy Orton won a match he shouldn't have
Over this past year, Randy Orton has been doing some of the best work of his career. His feud against Edge featured some great storytelling and The Viper's momentum carried forward into the summer. Orton may have lost a couple of matches to Drew McIntyre, but he is now the WWE Champion.
Up next for The Apex Predator is a 'Champion vs. Champion' match at Survivor Series against Roman Reigns, one he is likely to lose. Randy Orton is also being targeted on RAW by several Superstars, including McIntyre. The Fiend is also lurking in the shadows and ready to pounce on Orton.
The next few months are crucial for the WWE title, with the company needing to book The Viper's reign perfectly. He shouldn't hold the belt for too long if it is detrimental to others, even if WWE wants it to be up for grabs between Randy Orton and Edge.
There have been quite a few instances in the past where Orton was booked to win a match that he probably shouldn't have. Whether it would have been for the benefit of his opponent, or the story, the 14-time WWE World Champion should have put some of them over. It was the right thing to do in these moments.
Here are five times Randy Orton won a match he shouldn't have.
#5 Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 26)
Following Randy Orton's ascent as a permanent main-eventer, he was tasked with leading a group of second-generation wrestlers. Being a third-generation Superstar, he seemed like the perfect man to help various young talents live up to their respective family's legacy, and to an extent, it did work.
Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, the sons of Dusty Rhodes and 'The Million Dollar Man' respectively, were paired with Orton, with the three of them being known as Legacy. The expectation was that the two youngsters would grow under the guidance of The Viper and break out to become much bigger stars, but that didn't happen.
Instead of Rhodes and DiBiase standing up to their controlling and abusive leader, it was Orton who turned babyface. The group imploded in time for WrestleMania 26 and it seemed like WWE would put Ted DiBiase over in the subsequent triple threat, making him a bigger star in the process.
However, Randy Orton soundly won the match and moved on as a good guy. Meanwhile, Rhodes and DiBiase were stuck in the midcard. The former eventually became a huge star outside WWE, while the latter isn't even in the wrestling business anymore.