According to Pro Wrestling Insider, Randy Orton is backstage in Nashville, TN, as is Linda McMahon.
Over the weekend, PWTorch.com reported that — in response to Orton tearing apart a hotel room in Europe and thus being sent home (which has been covered before, including in a recent SLAM! article) — WWE is still trying to figure out how to best punish him. They want to set an example to others in the locker room, despite him being a main eventer on the RAW brand.
One thing being discussed, according to the Torch (which credits an anonymous source), is moving Orton off of the RAW “A-brand” and to either Smackdown or ECW. Another possibility is leaving him off of Summerslam or other big PPVs to keep his bonus compensation down.
In my opinion, both Smackdown and ECW could use a big heel, and he’d help both the company and those brands should he switch rosters. While there were rumors last year that he’d be part of ECW’s start-up, I think Smackdown’s a better fit for him and wouldn’t mind seeing WWE write a “trade” into the storyline to swap him for, say, Chris Benoit or Ken Kennedy.
While I’m throwing out opinions, I also think that Vince McMahon should hold the ECW title until either Benoit or Rey Mysterio – both “ECW Originals” – takes it from him. But that’s just me…
