5 Takeaways from this week's WWE SmackDown Live (17 July 2018)

#2 This is the Randy Orton we need!

Randy Orton's assault on Jeff Hardy was genuinely unpleasant to watch

Aside from a short stint as a borderline heel with the Wyatt Family, Randy Orton has been a good guy ever since he returned from injury in early 2015 ahead of his WrestleMania 31 match against Seth Rollins.

Then, almost a year after he said during an out-of-character appearance on Edge & Christian’s ‘Podcast of Awesomeness’ that he was “sick of this babyface thing”, Orton finally turned heel on Sunday when he made his return at Extreme Rules and instantly targeted one of the biggest good guys on SmackDown Live, Jeff Hardy.

This week’s SmackDown Live ended with “The Viper” dismantling Hardy (and his ear!) at ringside, leaving him in a heap on the ground after repeatedly smashing his head against the steel steps before hitting him with a DDT off the announce desk.

After over three years of watching Orton as an unwanted babyface, it’s a refreshing change to see the 13-time world champion back to his sadistic best!