The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 16

Randy Orton (September 19, 2010 - November 22, 2010)

Randy Orton: Became the main man in WWE during the summer and fall of 2010

No one was hotter during the summer and fall of 2010 than the "Viper" Randy Orton. RKO had already reigned as WWE Champion five times by the time the Night of Champions pay per view in September 2010 rolled around.

A sixth title had seemed tantalizingly out of reach during the summer months. Despite his dominance, Orton had failed to capture the gold at Fatal 4 Way and SummerSlam.

However, he finally wrested the gold from WWE Champion, Sheamus in the Six Pack Elimination Match; dismissing Chris Jericho, Wade Barrett and finally the champion, in a bout which also featured Edge and John Cena.

Orton surpassed Cena in terms of popularity and merchandise sales and his unstoppable momentum continued unabated as he fought off the challenges of Sheamus and Wade Barrett before dropping the belt in an impromptu Money in the Bank challenge from The Miz.

Orton would fail to recapture the gold from Miz in rematches in December and January and, in fact, would not hold the WWE title again until August of 2013, when he himself used the Money in the Bank contract to great effect.