Randy Orton become United States champion for the first time Sunday at WWE Fastlane by defeating Bobby Roode.
Roode maneuvered out of multiple RKO attempts, but he was powerless to avoid what was the decisive blow of the match. Orton countered what appeared to be a diving clothesline/shoulder block attempt into the RKO for the victory.
WWE showed Orton holding his newly won title:
While Orton has largely focused on being a world champion throughout his career, his win should provide a major boost to what has been a somewhat forgotten title in recent years.
With The Viper joining the elite ranks of WWE's Grand Slam champions, there is plenty of incentive for him to have a lengthy and successful run with the belt.
Orton played up to that fact in the weeks leading up to Fastlane, and since he is nowhere near the WWE Championship scene, WWE made the wise move of having him lend his credibility to a different part of the card.
Although the United States Championship is a storied title that many of the biggest stars in professional wrestling history have held, there hasn't been much emphasis placed on it since John Cena took it to a new level through his series of open challenges in 2015.
The title has bounced around since that point, and while an effort has been made to make it more prominent, nothing has caught on.
Roman Reigns' United States Championship run fell flat since he was always destined for bigger things, and the more recent U.S. title feud between AJ Styles and Kevin Owens wasn't all it could have been in the ring or from a storyline perspective.
There is intrigue surrounding Orton's reign in much the same way there was when Cena was United States champion.
Cena had been vying for the world title regularly for so many years it seemed unlikely he would ever "lower" himself to the U.S. Championship picture again.
Orton is essentially in the same boat, as he beat Bray Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33 after winning the 2017 Royal Rumble.
Following a lackluster program with Jinder Mahal, however, Orton lost much of the momentum he had built up during his long storyline with Wyatt.
The Apex Predator has wandered somewhat aimlessly through different programs on SmackDown since last summer, but he finally has something with some meaning and importance now he is United States champion.
Orton and Roode put on a good showing, and there may be enough juice left in their feud to take it to WrestleMania for a rematch. There is also the possibility of heel turn for either Orton or Roode since both are faces.
Orton is generally better as a heel than a face, but since he is so popular and Roode hasn't fully gained his footing in WWE, a turn may benefit the Glorious One a bit more.
Regardless, the United States Championship suddenly feels important again since it is around the waist of one of the most accomplished Superstars in WWE history.
Maintaining the momentum gained from Orton's win will rest solely on the shoulders of the creative team, and it is far from guaranteed the necessary steps will be taken.
Allowing Orton to work with up-and-coming talent in a manner similar to what Cena did during his U.S. title run may be the smartest route, especially since whoever beats him for the championship will get a major rub.
The United States Championship has bounced around and gained no equity for well over a year, but if WWE commits to Orton in that role and gives him a strong reign with the opportunity to compete in quality matches, the title could return to the prominence it enjoyed when Cena made it matter.
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from Bleacher Report - Front Page http://ift.tt/2HowzBM
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