By Richard Gardner, Torch specialist

Randy Orton won his first WWE title in over a year at Night of Champions last Sunday, winning the Six-Pack challenge. Orton had won the championship five times previously, but this was his first title win since his face turn earlier this year. Adding to the significance of the title change is that it puts him above John Cena on the card.

John Cena is the poster boy for PG-era WWE. Once a controversial figure, his character has been watered down to appeal to children. Cena’s “comedy” promos and herculean comebacks may infuriate older fans, but his character is suited for the younger audience that WWE is currently targeting.

The kids may be where the merchandise money is, and toning down the adult content has undoubtedly helped the company achieve the support of prestigious sponsors that would normally be out of their reach. Yet, in explicitly booking for a younger audience, WWE risks alienating its loyal, older fans. Striking the right balance is important, as the demographics show that Raw is most popular among the 18-35 age group. These fans need someone that they can relate to, and judging by the mixed reactions that John Cena commands from the live crowds, Cena isn’t that person.

This is where Randy Orton fits in. Orton is not the archetypical PG-era babyface. His character attacks faces and heels without discrimination or remorse. He does not pander to the crowd or engage in any kind of comedy segments. In many ways he is the polar opposite of John Cena.

Usually turning a natural heel like Randy Orton would seem contrived. Instead of completely changing his character to accommodate his new role, Orton has retained most of his heelish elements. His turn has felt like somewhat of a non-event, as he has barely had any notable matches or feuds to solidify his status as a main event babyface. Taking the title on Sunday could change that as it propelled Orton to the top of the card, ahead of Cena.

WWE seemed completely oriented towards kids last year, with comedy angles involving John Cena, D-Generation X, and Horswoggle dominating Raw. Promoting Randy Orton as WWE champion gives WWE's TV product greater balance, as his serious promos and ruthless character are more likely to resonate with the adult fanbase. Orton is an antihero, which contrasts with Cena’s clean-cut image.

It brings up the concern with WWE's PPV business. "Money in the Bank" in July drew a disastrous 162,000 worldwide buys, which, coupled with other recent PPV buys, indicates serious changes need to be made. The decreased interest in WWE PPVs in 2010 can partially be attributed to the increase in price to $44.95-55.95, but lack of interest in WWE’s product must be the major factor. Pushing Randy Orton as the number one babyface is one way they can freshen things up attempting to appeal to older fans with a wrestler who isn’t propped up with comedy promos.

Randy Orton is not a natural babyface. But at this moment in time, pushing someone other than John Cena as the leading babyface is worth a try.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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