Column: Sole Survivor – Orton’s Survivor Series Streak
WrestleMania has The Undertaker’s Streak. The Royal Rumble has impressive multiple wins by the likes of Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin. And Survivor Series seems to favour Randy Orton. Every Survivor Series pay-per-view Orton has been involved in since his first in 2004—bar 2006, when Team Rated RKO were defeated by Team DX (but DX squashed all their opponents in pretty much one-sided bouts since their reunion that year, so can we really count that?!)—he has won.
2004 saw Team Orton, also consisting of Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit and the forgettable Maven, reign supreme over Team Triple H, which included Batista, Edge and baby-killer Snitsky, which resulted in their running of Raw for a month, much to the dismay of the remaining members of Evolution.
The following year, 2005, featured Orton (replacing the late Eddie Guerrero) capturing the win for Team SmackDown! (Orton, Batista, Rey Mysterio, JBL and Bobby Lashley).
As mentioned above, Orton’s team failed to pick up the win in 2006 against Team DX, however he was the last person eliminated from his team.
In 2007, Orton received his first singles match at Survivor Series, retaining his WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels, the man whose team was victorious over him the previous year.
Last year’s show featured Orton as team captain once again, leading his men (Shelton Benjamin, William Regal, Cody Rhodes and Mark Henry) across the finish line, against Team Batista, rounded out by CM Punk, Matt Hardy, Kofi Kingston and R-Truth).
All these events have the same thing in common; Orton as the “sole survivor”. Not a feat as popular or as noted as The Undertaker’s Streak, but it is an achievement in itself, as not manyespecially leading up to this year’s edition of the pay-per-view. Also, Orton has often been named as the team leader, showing that those making the matches have faith in him as a leader (see Rated RKO), a mentor (evident in the formation of Legacy), a winner and sole survivor.
This year’s event will see yet another incarnation of Team Orton, with Legacy, CM Punk and William Regal (no strangers to competing with Orton in past PPV matches, as above) standing alongside Orton, as they go up against Team Kofi Kingston. Orton takes a mid-card role this time around, as opposed to other years when he was in main event matches, but it remains to be seen whether he will come out on top yet again as the sole survivor.
Sorry for the shortness of this week’s column, but let me know what you think of Orton’s Survivor Series streak. This weekend I’m going to the Hulkamania wrestling event, where Hulk Hogan will take on Ric Flair in what is sure to be a classic and legendary rematch (on one end at least; you know who I’m talking about!), so my column next week will focus on that.
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I think Orton should always be a mid-card. It’s been so long I’ve forgot that Orton used to be great. Somewhere down the line he became boring. This could be because creative wants it that way, who knows.
To tell you the truth, I think the main event scene is just getting repetitive. At least on Raw. How many times can we see Cena vs Orton and/or HHH?
This is only MY opinion. I’ve always liked the mid card scene better. I don’t like the long matches with 3 minute headlocks. Live is a different story but on TV, 5 minutes is plenty.
I just think Orton needs a new angle. Same goes for Cena… AND HHH for that matter. Raw is fucking dreadfull after 10:30 (the last half hour). The new promos with Cena talking about jerking off DX are the only thing keeping me watching now a days.
your not the only one. wwe as a company need find the fire that wcw lite under them, the standered they a set now could be easly re set. my openion is that tna’s opening matchs(ppv) is been better than wwe’s main event at sevral of the past ppv’s
Just read the SS results, and it turns out my prediction was wrong. Oh well, hopefully Kofi Kingston emerging as Sole Survivor over Orton will serve as leverage in his quest for main event status.
Come on let’s be honest. What is PG? It’s just what they proclaim, the concept is horseshit. The WWF/E was never rated R. Edge making out with Lita is nothing you can’t see in a teeny vampire movie.
Not to be a dick, but the new Dixie run TNA will not light a fire in new York . This show is not for kids just because they watch it. It’s just a bad marketing scheme. Let’s be honest, do you buy action figures? They’d buy them regardless of the rating. I’m a marketing major and I have no idea where they’re going with this. It seems to be more about Lindas political run.
Hulk Hogan (who I have yet to see in TNA) will do nothing more than take more time away from homework.
They need to put a better show on TV… Period. TNA isn’t PG, yet it still manages to suck. Listening to the Dudleys and Styles kiss Hogans ass in terrible promos will NOT beat the almighty Titan.
“Whatcha gonna do when the spray tanned scullet runs wild on YOU! I’m sure Vince is terrified.