It's fair to say Randy Orton and AJ Styles are not really known for their mic skills, but both men delivered excellent promos tonight on SmackDown LIVE to add some heat to their feud and make their match at WrestleMania official.
Orton began by poking fun at AJ's time on the indies, referencing his stint "shaking hands with his opponents" in Ring of Honor and "getting a tan with Dixie Carter" in TNA. Styles fired back by telling The Viper that he was proud of his roots as an indie star, and it would have taken more than "this" (mocking Orton's pose) and a "knockoff Diamond Cutter" for Randy to make it there. Unlike him, he wasn't handed his start in the business by his father.
These really were great promos. They felt authentic, and there was a definite sense that both Superstars believed at least some of the things they said about the other. It was such a strong segment, that their upcoming match at 'Mania has now gone from "sure, whatever" to must-see.