6 WWE Superstars who lost popularity after becoming World Champion

#5. Randy Orton - 2004

Randy Orton is the youngest World Champion in WWE history

Randy Orton was always destined for World Championship success. Many believe that had it not been for John Cena's undeniable work ethic, The Viper would have been the natural pick to take the throne in 2005.

At WrestleMania 20 in 2005, Cena and Batista were the two Superstars who were coronated, winning the WWE and World Heavyweight Championship respectively. The two men would go on to be the two top babyfaces for the next few years, with Cena's longevity exceeding Batista's.

However, Randy Orton was the Superstar who was originally intended for Batista's spot, having won the World Heavyweight Championship in 2004 and becoming the youngest World Champion in WWE history - a record that he still holds to date.

It led to Evolution ejecting him from the faction before Triple H took the title off him soon after. Once he won the World Championship, it was clear that Orton wasn't the natural babyface that WWE had hoped for him to be.

He would turn heel a few months later before feuding with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 20. While he's had one of the greatest and most accomplished careers in WWE history, he's always been a better heel. 2004 was the first of many instances to prove that.