Celebrating 20 Years of Randy Orton with 20 of His Greatest Moments
The Master of the RKO has Evolved over the Past Two Decades
When I first started watching WWE, Randy Orton was one of the top villains. Nothing would make me happier then seeing Orton come up short in his quest to win championships. Much to my dismay, the Legend Killer would win match after match, cementing himself as one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time.
Almost fifteen years later, Orton has become one of my all time favorites. He oozes charisma, and his in-ring ability is off the charts. Whether a babyface or a heel, the Apex Predator has been able to entertain the WWE Universe for the past 20 years.
20 years in World Wrestling Entertainment is no small feat. The Undertaker hit his 20 year mark in 2010, as he was entering his final reign as World Champion. 2016 would have been the 20 year mark for Triple H, who was in his part time run at this point. In 2008, Shawn Michaels reached 20 years since his WWE debut, but he took some time off to heal from back issues. What Orton has been able to do is tremendous, and to commemorate his milestone, I’m going to go through 20 of my favorite moments of Orton’s career, complete with videos.
The Debut of a Future Hall of Famer - April 25, 2002
In 2002, the WWE rookie class was strong. Brock Lesnar, Batista, John Cena, and Randy Orton have all gone on to become WWE legends. Orton made his debut on the April 25, 2002 episode of SmackDown, defeating Hardcore Holly in surprising fashion. Although debuting as a babyface, he would later see his biggest successes as a villain, becoming one of WWE’s most hated Superstars of the 2000s.
The Dawn of Evolution - February 3, 2003
By the end of 2002, Orton would move from SmackDown over to RAW following an injury. When he returned, he established his persona, with Triple H referring to him as the “coal that will be squeezed into the next diamond”. He joined Evolution, cementing himself as one of the men that would carry WWE for years to come.
The First RKO - June 9, 2003
The RKO is one of the greatest finishers in WWE history. However, Orton did not debut with the iconic move, instead relying on the O-Zone. This was a move referred to in wrestling terms as the overdrive, with a modern example being MVP’s Playmaker. This changed on the 9th of June in 2003, where Orton would hit the jumping cutter for the first time. The RKO has compared to Diamond Dallas’ Page’s Diamond Cutter, but Orton leaps in the air whereas Page would do it from a variety of positions. Fun fact: Triple H, Orton’s mentor in Evolution, also used a cutter at first, but was told by DDP to stop performing the maneuver.
The Legend Killer - July 21, 2003
While Orton was doing well in Evolution, he needed an extra boost to get him to the next level. More specifically, he needed a gimmick that would get over with the WWE fans. He referred to himself as the Legend Killer for the first time in July of 2003, a nickname that would stick with him throughout his entire tenure in WWE. This would lead him to attacking greats such as Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Dusty Rhodes, just to name a few.
The First Championship - December 14, 2003
Armageddon 2003 was perfect for Evolution. After entering the event with no championships, by the time the show faded to black, every man would hold his own title. Batista and Ric Flair won the World Tag Team Championships, Triple H would regain his World Heavyweight Championship from Goldberg, and Orton would walk out Intercontinental Champion, triumphing over Rob Van Dam. He would hold the strap for 210 days, losing it to future tag team partner, Edge.
The First World Championship - August 15, 2004
Summerslam 2004 was a pivotal time in Randy Orton’s career. For the first time, Orton received a singles match for a World Championship on pay-per-view, and he made the most of his opportunity. He would go on to defeat Chris Benoit at the event, in Benoit’s home country of Canada, nonetheless. This would make him the youngest World Champion in WWE history.
The Betrayal - August 16, 2004
Just one night after winning the World Heavyweight Championship, Evolution threw Orton a party. However, it was not the celebration that Orton had anticipated. He was kicked out of the group, solidifying his status as a babyface. Although his run fell short of expectations, it proved that he can hang on his own as a singles star.
The Deadman - April 3, 2005
In early 2005, Orton did three things that changed the course of his career. First, he would call out The Undertaker, challenging him to a match at Wrestlemania. Next, he would revert back to his heel status, channeling that aggressiveness to defeat the Phenom. Third, he would move back to the SmackDown brand, where he would stay for several years. Although Orton came up short in his attempt to end the fabled Streak, he and ‘Taker tore the roof off of the Staples Center. The full match is on YouTube, and I highly recommend watching it.
The Last Ride - November 29, 2005
This makes the cut because it’s one of my personal favorite Orton moments of all time. He spent most of 2005 feuding with The Undertaker, alternating wins and losses with the Deadman. On November 29, 2005, ‘Taker was facing off against the Big Show before Orton interrupted. Just a few days earlier, WWE Superstar Eddie Guerrero tragically passed away, and his low rider was on the entrance ramp as a tribute. The Legend Killer assaulted Taker with a crowbar before reversing the car through the SmackDown set, engulfing it in flames. It cemented Orton’s status as WWE’s top villain while providing one of the best visuals of the year, with Orton crawling out of the set in shock of his actions.
The Debut of Rated-RKO - October 9, 2006
2006 was an up and down year for the Legend Killer. After a controversial feud with Rey Mysterio, Orton found himself competing for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. In the summer, Orton feuded with Kurt Angle and toiled in the mid-card. In the fall of 2006, he agreed to form a team with Edge which would become Rated-RKO. The two most despised villains in the company were now aligned, and they would stay that way until Edge would win the World Heavyweight Championship in 2007.
The First Orton-Cena Pay-Per-View Match - August 26, 2007
John Cena has easily been Randy Orton’s greatest rival in WWE, and the two have faced off numerous times in the ring. Cena has been the face of WWE for the better part of two decades, and during his prime, it only made sense for him to collide with Orton. Their first pay-per-view match took place at SummerSlam 2007, where Cena would ultimately come out victorious. Randy posted this photo on Twitter last Friday, with every match between the two long time rivals.
Cena and Orton have faced each other one on one 20 times, and according to Sportskeeda, the preacher of Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect leads the series 13 to 7.
The Wrestlemania XXIV Win - March 30, 2008
Wrestlemania XXIV was the first event that I watched as a fan, and very quickly I found out who the top three superstars in the company were. Orton was WWE Champion at the time, and he had two massive targets on his back in the form of Triple H and John Cena. At this point in time, Orton was fairly unsuccessful in his battles against the two future Hall of Famers. The Legend Killer was able to come out on top after punting Triple H in the skull and pinning Cena, retaining his precious WWE Championship. The Age of Orton was fully in swing, and this started a two year reign where the Apex Predator would dominate WWE.
The First Royal Rumble Win - January 25, 2009
As 2008 turned into 2009, Orton started a new faction, which he would call Legacy. The stable of second generation wrestlers, including Ted DiBiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes, would protect Orton at all costs. This was evident in the 2009 Royal Rumble Match, in which Triple H and Legacy composed the final four. The Game would eliminate Rhodes and DiBiase before Orton tossed out the Cerebral Assassin, earning a World Championship Match at The 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania.
The Home Invasion - March 9, 2009
Okay, so this may be more of a Triple H moment than a Randy Orton moment, but it is also a scene that has defined my years of watching wrestling. During the Triple H-Randy Orton feud going into The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, Orton made things personal. He would attack the McMahon family trying to get under Hunter’s skin, but Triple H responded in kind. He broke into Orton’s home, attacking him and was arrested for his actions. At the Showcase of the Immortals, The Game retained his championship, but Orton would win at Backlash, recapturing the WWE Championship.
The Mid-Air RKO - July 12, 2010
It’s one of the smoothest RKOs in WWE history, and my personal favorite. Evan Bourne was going for his patented Shooting Star Press, but Orton caught him in mid air and planted him with the three most dangerous letters in sports entertainment. Orton would go on to catch other Superstars in RKOs from the air, such as Christian, Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, and Chad Gable, but this one tops the list.
The Six-Pack Challenge Win - September 19, 2010
Orton would maintain a hold over the WWE Championship scene in 2009 and 2010, but this time was different. Finally, he won over the support of the WWE Universe, and he became one of RAW’s most popular Superstars. At Night of Champions, WWE Champion Sheamus defended his title in a Six Pack Challenge against RAW’s hungriest challengers. In the end, Orton escaped the High Cross and planted the Celtic Warrior with an RKO, winning the championship to the delight of the Houston crowd. Over the next few years, the Viper would win several more World Championships, this time on Smackdown, defeating Christian twice in an amazing feud.
The Authority - August 18, 2013
2013 felt very similar to 2006 for the Legend Killer. He was hanging around the mid card, occasionally getting title matches but coming up short. However, he won the Money in the Bank briefcase in July and cashed it in a month later on new WWE Champion Daniel Bryan. This would form The Authority, a stable that would run roughshod over WWE for the next four years. In December, Orton defeated John Cena to unify the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships, retiring the latter for good.
The Second Rumble Win - January 27, 2017
After the dissolution of The Authority, Orton was trying to find a consistent storyline. He fought Brock Lesnar in the main event of 2016’s SummerSlam, but lost via knockout. The Apex Predator joined Bray Wyatt’s Wyatt Family, which was an interesting dynamic. However, he would win his second Royal Rumble in 2017, lastly eliminating Roman Reigns. Unlike his 2009 win, this one was widely popular, and cheered by many in the Alamodome. In a match that contained stars such as Lesnar, Goldberg, and Undertaker, WWE relied on Orton to deliver, and he would go on to defeat Wyatt at WrestleMania 33 to win his 13th World Championship, and first at WrestleMania.
The Rebirth of the Legend Killer - June 14, 2020
In 2020, as the COVID pandemic raged through the United States, WWE moved their shows to the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Various Superstars stepped up as “MVPs” of the Performance Center era, such as Asuka, Bobby Lashley, and Drew McIntyre. However, Orton changed his ways the most, reviving his Legend Killer gimmick. He defeated Edge in the “Greatest Wrestling Match Ever” at 2020’s Backlash. Orton would associate himself with Ric Flair, attacking Christian, Big Show, and Shawn Michaels before turning on his longtime mentor in August. It culminated in a WWE Championship win for Orton at Hell in a Cell in October, defeating McIntyre, and winning his 14th World Championship.
The RK-Bro Championship Coronation - August 21, 2021
In 2021, relative newcomer Matt Riddle was looking for a tag team partner. He would talk to Orton, who at the time was still a heel, and he surprisingly agreed to team with the Original Bro. RK-Bro was formed, and the team would go on a roll. The duo would win the RAW Tag Team Championships at Summerslam in August in front of the Las Vegas crowd. For the next several months, RK-Bro would be a weekly highlight on the red brand, routinely starring in the most popular segments of the show. As of this writing, Riddle and Orton are in their second reign as RAW Tag Team Championships, and are still putting smiles on fans’ faces. Most importantly, the duo look like they are having the time of their lives, and Orton has said that this is the most fun he’s had in his wrestling career. I believe him.
Orton does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Who knows what could be in store for the 14 time World Champion? Could he be the man that breaks Ric Flair and John Cena’s record of sixteen? Only time will tell. For now, enjoy Randy Orton for what he’s worth: one of the all time best the industry has ever seen.