Most men would steer clear of such a malevolent creature but Wade Barrett has proven himself to be bolder than most men. Since winning WWE NXT’s inaugural season, Barrett has managed to work his way up WWE’s food chain, first as the leader of The Nexus, then as founder of The Corre and now as the one man “Barrett Barrage.” The former bare-knuckled fighting champion is looking to knock off Randy Orton as WWE’s “Apex Predator.”

In Liverpool, England, on SmackDown, Barrett managed to escape the RKO and used a thumb to Orton’s eye to steal a victory. If that weren’t enough, Team Barrett outlasted Team Orton at Survivor Series when Barrett pinned The Viper with the help of his fellow survivor, Intercontinental Champion, Cody Rhodes.

Since then, the British grappler has been stalking Orton and has made it clear that he feels beating the youngest World Heavyweight Champion once and for all will clear his path to holding that same prize.

On the Dec. 9 edition of SmackDown, Randy Orton defeated Dolph Ziggler faster than Wade Barrett, and as a result of that Beat The Clock challenge, won the right to choose the stipulation for their match at TLC. Without a word being spoken, Barrett “suggested” a Tables Match and Orton “agreed” at the expense of Ziggler.

Will it be Orton or Barrett looking over a broken table and possibly also the broken body and spirit of their opponent? We’ll find out on Dec. 18 at TLC.

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Will the third time be the charm? Maybe, but at Money in the Bank he is counting on more than just luck.

To bolster his chances, Christian had his legal team include a special clause in the match contract. If Orton is disqualified, Christian immediately becomes the new champion.

The clause stems from Christian’s continual claims that he has been “screwed” out of the title. At Extreme Rules, he claims that his leg was clearly under the ropes when Orton was declared the winner. Then just when he thought he thought he earned a World Title opportunity in a tag team victory on SmackDown, General Manager Theodore Long said not so fast. It wasn’t until Christian & Mark Henry beat Orton & Kane in a tag match that Christian finally earned his match with Orton.

But even after solidifying his No. 1 contender spot, Christian’s quest hit another road block. On the July 1 edition of SmackDown, Sheamus crashed the World Title contract signing, brutalized both Christian and Orton, and tore up their match contract. With no contract and doubts about whether the World Title Match would even take place, Christian revealed the next week that a newly signed contract did indeed exist – including the special clause.

With the clause in his corner, can Christian finally regain the coveted title he held for just days? Or, will The Viper finally crush Christian’s dream for good? To find out, tune in to WWE Money in the Bank, July 17, only on pay-per-view.

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Christian tasted ultimate glory for a brief moment in time, only to have it snatched away as quickly as it had entered his grasp. Just five days after he captured the vacant World Heavyweight Championship in a heroic match with Alberto Del Rio at Extreme Rules, GM Theodore Long and the WWE Universe chose Randy Orton to face him in his first title defense on SmackDown. Later that night, The Viper reigned supreme over the new champion, crushing his lifelong dream without warning.

The two Superstars would then face-off in a championship rematch at WWE Over the Limit. But, in a classic bout that could have gone either way, WWE’s Apex Predator once again triumphed, leaving Christian to pick up the pieces. Still, the hard-fought battle made one thing clear to the defeated grappler: He knew he could beat Randy Orton.

Competing in a World Title No. 1 Contender’s Match against Sheamus and Mark Henry the following week on SmackDown, Christian had The Celtic Warrior pinned. But, because the referee was busy getting Orton out of the ring – after The Viper executed a retaliatory RKO on Henry – he could not make the official three-count. Moments later, Sheamus delivered the big boot and captured the victory instead, once more ripping away Christian’s hope of facing Orton at the top of the mountain.

When Orton faced Sheamus for the championship one week later, Teddy Long made Christian the special guest referee. That proved to be too much for Captain Charisma to take. Moments after Orton retained, Christian stunned the WWE Universe, attacking him with the World Title.

The next week, the resentment-driven Christian renounced his association with his Peeps and made a title match with The Viper. He then attacked Orton yet again, allowing Sheamus to capture a non-title victory over the World Heavyweight Champion. As a result of the dual attacks by Christian, it was later revealed that The Viper suffered a concussion. What factor this will have on their pay-per-view showdown remains to be seen.

An explosive showdown is coming to Washington D.C. Will Christian’s aggressive campaign win him the high office of World Heavyweight Champion? Or will Randy Orton’s RKO veto send him running back to the hill? Find out at Capitol Punishment, Sunday June 19 at 8/7 CT, only on pay-per-view.

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After a 17-year career, Captain Charisma finally achieved a lifelong dream by winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules. But, that dream would soon become a nightmare.

In an stunning decision made by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long – and the WWE Universe – Christian found himself defending his title against Randy Orton just days after Extreme Rules. And with one well-timed RKO, The Viper wrested the title from Christian

Although visibly shaken by the loss, Christian quickly rebounded.

The following week on SmackDown, Christian was already full of confidence, declaring he could beat Orton when he’s at 100 percent. Then on that same night, in an unlikely tag team bout, he teamed with Orton against Sheamus & Mark Henry. With the Killswitch, Christian gained victory – and perhaps the momentum he needs to beat Orton at WWE Over the Limit. (WATCH)

Can Christian find a way to recapture what he’s always dreamed about? Or, will WWE’s Apex Predator prove once again why he is an eight-time World Champion who knows what it takes to win?

To find out, order WWE Over the Limit, May 22, live on pay-per-view.

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Truth be told, the Irishman will have his hands full when he battles Orton in a WWE Championship Match at SummerSlam. While Sheamus attempts to retain his second WWE Championship, The Apex Predator has his flickering eyes hoping for his sixth.

But this time, by order of the Raw General Manager, if anyone interferes in the WWE Championship match, it’ll equal an indefinite suspension. And if Orton loses at SummerSlam, he’ll get no rematch, and will go to the back of the line.

For each Superstar, the path to a WWE Title Match has proven demanding. Sheamus was forced to best John Cena at Money in the Bank in a controversial Steel Cage Match that witnessed the meddling influence of The Nexus. Meanwhile, Orton earned his opportunity by defeating Edge and Chris Jericho in a punishing Triple Threat Match on Raw. The common thread between these two competitors being that each appears to straddle the tenuous line between aggression and transgression.

In the end, though, The Viper offers his opponent a thorny set of challenges as slithery and unpredictable as any in WWE history. And while Sheamus may appear as fair as his beloved Cliffs of Moher, he’s also just as rugged and unforgiving – and leaves Orton with a task equally as steep.

But WWE’s Apex Predator wasn’t about to slip down the food chain. Appearing on Edge’s talk show “The Cutting Edge” on the May 3 edition of Raw, an infuriated Orton silenced the former SmackDown Superstar, delivering an RKO not only to Edge, but to “Let’s Make a Deal” star Wayne Brady. When it comes to these two bitter rivals, not even Raw guest hosts are safe. (PHOTOS)

Before Orton put an abrupt end to the Raw return of “The Cutting Edge,” The Ultimate Opportunist suggested that the two Superstars once again join forces. As Rated-RKO, Orton and Edge became World Tag Team Champions in 2006, waging a series of battles with D-Generation-X before breaking up the following year. Given the last few tumultuous weeks, a Rated-RKO reunion seems unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Will The Viper be defanged, or will Orton make Edge regret being drafted to Raw? Find out at Over the Limit, live Sunday, May 23, only on pay-per-view.

Like a rough Irish whiskey, WWE Champion Sheamus has proven that, when trifled with, he’s more than capable of leaving even the toughest man flat on his back. At the Royal Rumble, however, The Celtic Warrior must face a particularly sobering prospect: Defending his title against five-time WWE Champion Randy Orton.

While The Viper’s inclusion in the WWE Title Match may seem unexpected, it should come as no surprise to those familiar with his methods. Orton recognized an opportunity during a Triple Threat Match on Raw to determine the No. 1 contender and, as usual, he quickly seized it. As he battled with his opponents, John Cena and Kofi Kingston, his henchmen from The Legacy, Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, caused enough of a distraction to allow the scheming Superstar the victory.

While Orton has never seemed interested in clothing his naked ambition, he should be careful what he’s gotten himself into. Sheamus’ rabid aggression and overwhelming strength promise to be a powerful antidote to the cold calculation and athletic agility of The Viper.

Will The Celtic Warrior be able to prevent Orton – with a possible assist by Legacy – from regaining the precious WWE Championship? Or will the pipes, the pipes be calling for the insistent Irishman?

To find out, be sure to catch all the action live on Sunday, Jan. 31 at 8 PM/5 PM PT, exclusively on pay-per-view.

Though Orton may be more experienced than Kingston, the athletic Superstar has shown in recent weeks that he has exactly what it takes to hit The Viper where it hurts. As retaliation for Orton viciously attacking him after a match, Kingston sought out his nemesis’ personalized NASCAR racer and defaced it while The Legend Killer looked on, helpless to stop the automotive carnage. The two’s rivalry then expanded during a Six-Man Tag Team Match on Raw when Kingston and Orton were joined by fellow Survivor Series combatants, MVP & Mark Henry and Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, respectively.

In addition to R-Truth on the side of Kingston and the devious CM Punk teaming up with Orton, two of the top competitors in the Land of the Extreme, ECW Champion Christian and William Regal are also joining the fray. For months, The British Brawler has struggled to get the upperhand against Captain Charisma, and he might just have that chance when he joins up with Team Orton to face the ECW Champion and the rest of Team Kingston in a 10-Man Tag Team Match.

Don’t miss the epic confrontation between Team Kingston (Kofi Kingston, MVP, Mark Henry, ECW Champion Christian & R-Truth) and Team Orton (Randy Orton, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase & William Regal) at the 23rd annual Survivor Series on Nov. 22, at 8/7 CT, live on pay-per-view.

source: wwe.com