A few weeks ago, WWE RAW witnessed Randy Orton and Riddle coming together to form a surprising new tag team, R-K-Bro. The creative team took a bold decision that surprised the WWE Universe, and it certainly took the fanbase by storm. From predicting potential betrayals to visualizing a successful run, R-K-Bro has managed to get people talking.
In this article, we will take a look at a few reasons why R-K-Bro are an instant hint and how the creative can use them to improve WWE RAW.
#1 R-K-Bro drew much-needed attention towards the WWE RAW Tag Team division
Former WWE writer buries Judgment Day HERE
WWE RAW has had its fair share of criticism in the recent past owing to its relatively non-engaging content. The Red brand’s tag team division took a massive hit, and we have barely seen anything memorable over the last few months, barring AJ Styles and Omos’ win at WrestleMania 37. Even after that, the entire division is more stagnant than ever.
R-K-Bro has the potential to break the curse of monotonous feuds in the tag team division. They have single-handedly managed to get the much-needed attention towards the WWE RAW Championship picture. Of course, they are bound to feud with a few teams before they go after the titles, but the creative team undoubtedly wants to push them towards the gold.
Except for The New Day, no one can pose a credible threat to the reigning WWE RAW Tag Team Champions, AJ Styles, and Omos. However, Randy Orton and Riddle can build enough momentum to dethrone them and kickstart a new era for the Red brand with the right booking. It will also give the writers enough time to build more tag teams and ultimately revive the division.
#2 The chance to see a long-term storyline on WWE RAW
It has been a long time since we saw a thoroughly engaging long-term booking on WWE RAW. The creative team either wastes a feud with repetitive narration or drops the storyline altogether after months of build-up. But that would not be the case if someone like Randy Orton is involved. Currently, he is portraying a gray character, and his equation with Riddle is improving with each passing week.
Together, Orton and Riddle can transform into a dominant tag team on WWE RAW. There is a betrayal on the cards, but the creative team will have a long time to build up to a potential heel turn. Orton and The Original Bro can convince the viewers about the authenticity of R-K-Bro as a unit. They are both entertaining performers in the ring as well as on the mic.
Randy Orton’s history of betraying his most trusted partners will always draw a cloud of doubt over this team. It's a big challenge for both members of R-K-Bro to prove their mettle as a functional duo, and fans are excited to see how they will approach the overall narration on WWE RAW. This could finally give us a good heel vs. heel match, something that WWE actively avoids.
#3 Different direction for Randy Orton on WWE RAW
Randy Orton was one of the best performers on WWE RAW during the show’s ThunderDome era. Even now, he is one of those few superstars who carry the three-hour-long shows. He was great as The Legend Killer, but as mentioned previously, the creative team ran way too long with that storyline. He deservedly found himself in the title picture and did his job in putting over other superstars.
Orton did everything that was there for him, and he didn’t have many unexplored options left for himself on WWE RAW. His alliance with Riddle came as a surprise. Their contrasting personalities forced fans to invest more into their budding friendship. Their real-life equation reflected well in their in-ring chemistry, and thankfully, it led to the formation of R-K-Bro.
It is not a usual sight to see Randy Orton terrorizing the tag team division, and yet, here we are watching The Viper prey on one team after another. There are also subtle changes in his demeanor when he sometimes lets Riddle take the spotlight, which is quite contrary to his on-screen persona. But, again, he is a master of his craft, and it is exciting to see him pursue something different on WWE RAW.
#4 Graceful booking of an NXT graduate on WWE RAW
Riddle has been booked immensely well since his arrival on WWE RAW. That, unfortunately, is not always the case with the NXT graduates. The viewers of the Black and Gold brand end up developing a soft corner for the NXT talents. Most of them, however, get side-lined on the main roster. Riddle’s growth on the Red brand has been exponential, and he is making the most of that opportunity.
Riddle won the United States Championship earlier this year. He could soon win another title on WWE RAW alongside Randy Orton. It is great to see a former NXT talent do well on the main roster, and Riddle can continue building upon that momentum. He is a talented superstar and deserves to remain in the spotlight.
The creative team can trust The Original Bro to create a space for himself despite working alongside Randy Orton. In fact, this experience can work wonders for the rest of his career on WWE RAW.
As part of R-K-Bro, it is interesting to see him mirror a few of Orton’s qualities that have raised questions about a possible heel turn. His eventual fallout with The Viper could result in one of the most memorable feuds that we have seen on the red brand this year.
#5 Potential feud with AJ Styles and Omos for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships
AJ Styles made history at WrestleMania 37 when he won the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships alongside Omos. The Phenomenal One became a Grand Slam Champion that night and then went missing from the television for three weeks. Since then, Styles and Omos have successfully defended their titles against The New Day and the team of Elias and Jaxson Ryker.
While AJ Styles is a brilliant wrestler, he will find it difficult to elevate the entire tag team division when he has no credible challengers. Of course, there is no lack of talent on the roster, but none of the tag teams have done anything memorable on WWE RAW in the last year. However, things could take a sharp turn if Styles shares the ring with Randy Orton. R-K-Bro could pose an enormous challenge to the reigning champions.
Both Styles and Orton are incredible heels and the promos would be nothing short of epic. This feud will also benefit Omos and Riddle, who will see their stocks shoot up on WWE RAW.
This mutually beneficial storyline will prompt the creative team to push more and more tag teams to rebuild the division. That being said, WWE should ensure that they book both these teams strongly in order to construct an entertaining narrative.
#6 The unique pairing on WWE RAW and its future
WWE RAW, and almost the entire promotion, rarely experiments with unusual pairings anymore. Most of the time, the teams are built with similar superstars, and understandably, it makes it easier for them to work together. However, every once in a while, fans like to see surprise pairings such as Randy Orton and Riddle coming together to form R-K-Bro.
True to his Viper persona, Orton believes himself to be high and might, and Riddle likes to be high. The former prefers to dominate his opponents using countless holds in his attempt to drain them out. On the other hand, Riddle uses fast-paced action for most of his battle.
But both have a tremendous grip over keeping the fight on the mat, and that ideology helps them create creative maneuvers. As R-K-Bro starts competing in more matches on WWE RAW, these differences will become more evident.
Riddle’s humor also works well in contrast with Orton’s seriousness. He is even learning a thing or two from his tag team partner. Riddle recently used an RKO to win his match on WWE RAW, and Orton borrowed his Bro Kick for his victory.
Both these superstars can create an epic team on the Red brand, and they will deliver an even better rivalry when one eventually betrays another. R-K-Bro has a lot of potential, and hopefully, WWE will make the most of it before dissolving this team.