"I think you hurt Randy Orton's character" - WWE veteran criticizes RAW segment [Exclusive]
Former WWE writer Vince Russo was slightly critical of how WWE booked Randy Orton on RAW last night, saying that it might have hurt his character.
Randy Orton and Riddle teamed up on RAW, following their match against each other last week. In the latest edition of Legion of RAW, Russo was critical about one aspect of the arrangement, saying that it went against Randy Orton's character to not hit Riddle with an RKO. Russo said that WWE should have built up to this moment over a few weeks:
"I'll tell you what I didn't like about it." Said Russo. "You know I'm a firm believer that we have to be true to the character. Now here's what I did not like about it from a writing perspective. Orton has RKO'd everybody and their mother and their wife and their daughter and their sister. He has RKO'd everybody. At that spot at the end of the match, Randy Orton would 100% without the shadow of a doubt have RKO'd Riddle, without the shadow of a doubt.
Russo continued:
"The story would have to be that Riddle did something endearing or a save or something. I'm going to compare this to Austin saving Stephanie. He hated Vince McMahon but that was the right thing to do. So in order to escape the RKO, in my opinion as a writer, it would have had to have been something endearing, something to show an ounce that Orton kind of likes this guy. That promo was not enough. We could have RKO'd him and have gotten to the spot in a month where he's not RKOing him, but tonight I think you hurt Randy Orton's character because he RKO'd Beth Phoenix... You could have built to that spot to make it mean something."
What went down with Randy Orton and Riddle on WWE RAW?
Fans saw Riddle and Randy Orton in a backstage interview segment this week on RAW. Orton said Riddle had "kind of earned" his respect after beating him last week. Orton and Riddle later teamed up on RAW to take on former Hurt Business members Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander.
Randy Orton and Riddle won the match after some good teamwork with The Viper first hitting Shelton Benjamin with a draping DDT. Riddle then hit a Floating Bro to finish the match. Orton cracked a smile after the match as he walked out of the ThunderDome.
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