Opinion
Randy Orton and Nakamura’s Vicious Alliance on WWE SmackDown Live
Randy Orton’s recent heel turn on Jeff Hardy was a bit unexpected to many WWE fans but it was not surprising. That’s because Orton is known for his infamous villainy as he always finds a way to top his own personal level of viciousness.
But this time he seems to have a new partner in crime. Shinsuke Nakamura was just a bystander at first. He did nothing but observe the carnage that Randy caused and was largely unaffected by it. However now things have taken an interesting twist as The King of Strong Style is apparently forming an alliance with The Viper.
It’s curious because thus far, they have not appeared to work in a concerted effort. They each have heat with Hardy, which often puts them in the same place at the same time. But rather than turn on each other or even question each other’s presence, they just coexist.
Like two predators in the wild, Orton and Nakamura size each other up, more concerned with analyzing rather than pouncing. A mutual respect seems to happen between them but that respect is not based on trust.
Both men have a certain look in their eyes. They don’t necessarily approve of each other but they do silently acknowledge each other. It’s a game they play, to see which man can one up the other.
Jeff Hardy is the man in the middle of course. He’s the one paying the price for Orton and Nakamura’s fascination with each other. Hardy’s role as the perennial fan favorite has never really been in question and he has been tested in the past. But this is a different kind of test.
This is more mental than physical. Yes, Orton continues to punish Jeff whenever he can and yes, Nakamura still wants a piece of him. But Hardy’s biggest concern are the mind games that Randy plays with him. Fans know that once The Viper gets in a guy’s head, he’s there to stay.
Randy Orton is the master manipulator. He mentally dissects his opponents until they go mad. Orton is very good at what he does and all he does is destroy guys from the outside in. He strikes like the serpent that he is but then he plays with his prey, not because he has to, but because he wants to.
He takes pleasure from watching his opponents suffer. He loves keeping them under his heel and whenever he wants to break them down further, he does exactly that. Randy Orton may not be the most likable WWE Superstar in Vince McMahon’s company but he’s certainly the most committed when it comes to his character in the ring.
Randy looks as though he wants to completely exterminate everyone around him. One look in his eyes and fans know that he’s totally absorbed in the moment. That’s why he is such an effective heel and it’s also why he continues to be respected for his character work. Randy is in his element when he is on the hunt and right now he’s hunting Jeff Hardy.
But Nakamura’s role is not as clearly defined. Nak is a heel of course and he has proved time after time that he has no problem taking the low road to win. He too is a master of mind games and he played more with AJ Styles than anyone could have dreamed possible.
When Styles won at WrestleMania 34, Nakamura snapped. In that one moment, his character decided that losing was not an option and that the only way to keep AJ on the hook was to challenge his manhood. He did that by delivering a vicious low blow, which not only shocked him physically, but also put him on the defense.
AJ’s character likes to be in control. He believes that he can win every match he works and that he can outwrestle anyone. He also believes that he is the best in the world and that he can overcome any challenge in front of him.
But when Nakamura turned on him for no apparent reason, AJ was pushed back a few steps. Why was Shinsuke doing this? What was his agenda and what exactly was he trying to prove? Styles could never answer those questions. He knew that Nakamura was indeed testing him but he didn’t understand why.
Nakamura kept AJ right where he wanted him. He was always one step ahead and he maintained that edge even at the end of the rivalry. He may not have won the WWE Championship, but he never really seemed too interested in that. He was more concerned with being the master puppeteer.
There was never really any rhyme or reason to his actions and he reveled in that. No one knew why Nakamura did what he did and he never bothered explaining himself to anyone’s satisfaction. Nakamura is an enigma, an agent of chaos and he absolutely thrives in that spot.
Therein lays the beauty of Nakamura’s apparent alliance with Orton. They are kindred spirits. They don’t really have anything in common other than their penchant for mentally disturbing every opponent they face. However that appears to be enough to keep them not only on the same side, but in the same corner as well.
No one really knows where all of this will lead. Only time will tell if Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura will continue to encounter each other and officially join forces. But there can be no denying that they do have chemistry together. It’s an odd chemistry and one that keeps the fans guessing. But that is best part about it. Perhaps this curious alliance is one that will not only succeed, it could become the most devilishly entertaining act on SmackDown Live.
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Opinion
Chris King: The Wyatt Sicks’ Wasted Potential By WWE
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
It’s that time of the year again, folks; it’s unfortunate and downright awful that so many WWE superstars got released today. I’m not going to list all of them, but I am going to talk about one of my favorite factions,
The Wyatt Sicks. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Erik Rowan, and Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) were something special. After Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, WWE felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Wyatt was one of the most creative and brilliant characters, and Bo would be taking over his brother’s concept and bringing it to life. In 2024, at the end of an incredible documentary highlighting Wyatt’s career and struggles, Bo appeared on the screen portrayed as Uncle Howdy. The last time Uncle Howdy was seen on-screen was at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match. Howdy jumped off a structure onto Knight.
This post-credit scene sparked so much speculation and excitement that Wyatt’s brother would carry on his legacy and possibly debut the faction that was Wyatt’s concept. On the June 17th episode of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks made their dramatic debut ,destroying the backstage area as well as “murdering” Chad Gable. It was such an iconic arrival for Howdy as he made his menacing walk from the back into the audience who were chanting “Holy Shit.” The Sicks and American Made (Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers) battled for months, with The Sicks being victorious. On the September 9th episode of Raw, The Sicks defeated them, with Howdy getting the win with Sister Abigail.
The following year, The Sicks would move over to Friday Night SmackDown, and it seemed like WWE had a plan in place. They would win the tag team championships from The Street Profits and start to look dominant. Now, what should have happened next is Howdy should have won the United States title. The Sicks could have held all the gold over on the blue brand, but it never happened. The Sicks entered into a never-ending feud with The MFT’s (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga.) It started off exciting, and the WWE Universe was red-hot for their interactions.
After months of repetitive matches and The MFT’s stealing their lantern, the feud grew tiresome and boring. Even Tama asked Solo why they are still holding onto the lantern, as it was destroying them as a whole. Finally on the SmackDown before Mania, Tama
gave the lantern back to Howdy against Solo’s wishes. Please explain to me why both factions fought almost every single week instead of just having one final blowoff match at WrestleMania.
It should have been either a massive street fight or a falls count anywhere match on the grandest stage of them all. Instead, it turned into a meaningless week-after-week extravaganza that benefited no one. The MFTs won the rivalry, and The Sicks don’t even work for WWE anymore. This was the same criminalized creative process that Wyatt dealt with during his first run in the company.
We’ll never know how much of a dangerous force The Wyatt Sicks could have been in the WWE. For all their careers’ sake, I hope they stay far away from the company for as long as possible. Every superstar that was cut deserves better!
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Opinion
Chris King: Bloodline Saga: Is This the Right Call For WWE?
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is once again World Heavyweight Champion after his dominant win over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. On the following night on Monday Night Raw, The OG Bloodline came back together as a well-oiled machine as The Usos stood side by side with Roman. With the WWE Universe asking who would be the first to challenge “The Tribal Chief,” Jacob Fatu shocked the world by answering the call.
Fatu is running hot after his impressive win over Drew McIntyre and feels like he is ready to become the new world champion. This bloodline segment ended Raw, and it picked right back up on SmackDown with even Solo Sikoa and the MFTs involved. This is now two shows that have been centered around The Bloodline saga, and it’s made me question whether or not WWE should be retelling this story.
The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa) ran WWE for over four years as Reigns’ henchmen, doing his dirty work to retain his title. Even though Roman has declared he doesn’t want Jey and Jimmy to serve him, it sure seems like WWE are spinning their wheels. Fatu could add a whole new chapter into the story, even if he’s not able to beat Roman at Backlash. “The Samoan Werewolf” could be forced to do the same thing as Jey did all those years ago and fall in line.
In my opinion, I feel like Fatu should be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship because that’s a title I feel like he should win. I understand standing up to your blood and trying to prove you’re the best, but I don’t think this is the right move. It feels like 2022 all over again, as The Bloodline is the central focus on both shows. If Fatu doesn’t win, what happens to all his momentum he’s been building over the last two years?
Why did WWE make this the best choice for storyline purposes? Why couldn’t creative have come up with a different challenger for Roman? There are so many other superstars that could challenge The Tribal Chief, such as Rusev, Bron Breakker, Gunther, or even a returning Sheamus.
I just can’t help but question WWE’s logic here, and it kind of reminds me of all the times The Shield reunited. Could WWE be pushing the same storyline too many times here? Could the WWE Universe get tired of this rinse and repeat cycle of The Bloodline Saga?
Are we about to see all the weekly episodes solely focused on The Bloodline again? Will it be cinema… Yes. Is there still money in The Bloodline… Yes. Was it the right call? That’s to be determined!
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