Alex Rodriguez, Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning and Alexander Ovechkin. Aside from being exceptional athletes and among the very best in their respective fields of battle, all four are true cornerstones: uber-talented stars that teams can build their entire franchises around. In the world of competitive play, they're known as "franchise players."
In professional sports, not every team has one of these extraordinary individuals. In fact, some don't even have one legitimately elite star. But in the squared circle, there's no shortage of in-ring warriors who could be considered standard-bearers for the Raw and SmackDown
brands, and to a larger extent, WWE as a whole.WWE
.com takes an up-close look at Friday night's best, tackling the undeniably tough challenge of narrowing it down to four Superstars that stand as the face of SmackDown. These competitors are the linchpins of the notorious blue brand, persistently commanding the attention of the WWE Universe while crafting their own unique identity.Click through to see our four picks, and then cast your vote in WWE.com's poll to decide who ultimately deserves to be called the franchise player for SmackDown.
Born and bred with WWE rushing through his veins, Randy Orton has walked with the best and learned from their incredible example. The third-generation warrior follows in the footsteps of his elite family, including his father, WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton. He then grew as a member of one of the top factions in WWE history – Evolution – standing in the mighty shadow of Triple H and WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. After a lifetime of surrounding himself with greatness, there is no one better on the SmackDown
roster to represent the entire show. Orton also deserves to be Friday night’s franchise player because he is one of the top titleholders of all active WWE
Superstars. He is a nine-time World Champion – winning his first World Heavyweight Title at age 24 – as well as an Intercontinental Champion and the 2009 Royal Rumble winner.Perhaps the most important reason that WWE’s Apex Predator is the face of SmackDown has to do with his ability to be an extremely adaptable entertainer. He is a formidable opponent to any type of foe: Superstar or Legend, large or small, man or monster. He can compete in any type of match or any part of the arena, whether it’s a technical encounter or an all-out brawl, from Hell in a Cell, to Falls Count Anywhere, to the Fatal 4-Way World Title Match at WWE Over the Limit on May 20. Overall, he is a Superstar that shows no fear and is able to rise above in any situation, striking out of nowhere to emerge victorious.
In short, Randy Orton is SmackDown's clear franchise player.
