Randy Orton

Randy Orton
File:RandyKOrton.jpg
Born	April 1, 1980 Knoxville, Tennessee
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Randy Orton
Billed height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Billed weight	245 lb (111 kg)
Billed from	St. Louis, Missouri
Trained by	"Cowboy" Bob Orton South Broadway Athletic Club Ohio Valley Wrestling
Debut	2000

Randall Keith "Randy" Orton (born April 1, 1980 in Knoxville, Tennessee), is an American professional wrestler, currently working for the RAW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment.

Orton is a third-generation professional wrestler, his grandfatherBob Orton, Sr., father "Cowboy" Bob Orton and his uncle Barry O, are all former professional wrestlers.

Early career

After graduating from Hazelwood Central High School, Randy Orton made his professional wrestling debut in 2000 with the MMWA-SICW in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. In MMWA-SICW or South Broadway Athletic Club as it is known in St. Louis, he was trained by such wrestlers there as Ron Powers, Gary Jackson, Mark Bland, Jeremy Lightfoot, Phil E. Blunt and promoter Tony Costa as well as his father, Cowboy Bob Orton. This is an organization that was an off-shoot of the old Wrestling at the Chase headed by Sam Munchnick between 1950-1983. Randy Orton then had a match with another St. Louis group, Central Championship Wrestling, with O.G. Stevie B. Not long after, he signed a developmental deal with WWE and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling.

World Wrestling Entertainment

2002-2003

Orton trained at Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville, until he was brought up to the main roster. Orton debuted on WWE programming on the April 25, 2002 episode of SmackDown!, defeating Hardcore Holly. He made little impact as a face on SmackDown! before being drafted to RAW, where he became a heel.

Orton's heel turn was drawn out over several months. While sidelined with a separated shoulder, Orton launched the "Randy News Network", a weekly vignette which featured Orton explaining the current status of his shoulder. He also provided an e-mail address by which fans could contact him to express their support (GetWellRandy@wwe.com). His smug, self-centered attitude gradually turned the fans against him.

Upon his return on January 20, 2003, Orton helped Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista beat down Scott Steiner, a rival of Triple H's. Triple H later called the foursome Evolution. The stable was briefly disbanded shortly thereafter when both Orton and Batista were sidelined with injuries, but reconvened in May 2003. At this point Orton was given the gimmick of "The Legend Killer" which saw him defeat or humiliate numerous "legendary" wrestlers and celebrities. Orton gained infamy when he spat in the faces of wrestling legends Mick Foley and Harley Race. At Unforgiven 2003 on September 21, Orton defeated Shawn Michaels with the help of Ric Flair.

Orton went on to defeat Rob Van Dam for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Armageddon 2003 on December 14. He became one of the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champions of recent years, holding the title for seven months.

2004

File:Randywhc.jpg

Orton after winning the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam 2004.

On the July 26, 2004 episode of RAW, Orton won a twenty-man battle royal last eliminating Chris Jericho to become the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. On August 15, 2004 at SummerSlam 2004, Orton defeated the World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit by pinfall following an RKO to capture his first World Heavyweight Championship, making him the youngest ever World Heavyweight Champion in the WWE at the age of twenty-four. After the match, Orton and Benoit shook hands in which Benoit encouraged Orton to "be a man." The match was held in Toronto, Ontario at the Air Canada Centre.

After successfully defending the belt against Benoit on RAW the next night, Orton and Evolution celebrated the win. During the celebration, Batista had Orton on his shoulders and Triple H gave him a thumbs-up; which then turned into a thumbs down. Orton was then brutalized by Batista, Flair, and Triple H. He was thrown out of Evolution the next week on RAW after he refused to hand his World Heavyweight Championship over to Triple H when requested, instead spitting on Triple H and striking him in the face with the belt. Orton became a face as a result, and began using new entrance music, "Burn in My Light" by Mercy Drive. He feuded with Triple H over the World Heavyweight Championship for a month before losing to Triple H on September 12, 2004 at Unforgiven 2004.

File:RKOflair.jpg

Orton shaking hands with his former mentor Ric Flair after defeating him in a cage match at Taboo Tuesday 2004.

After losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Triple H, Orton continued to feud with his former stablemates. After he was scheduled to take part in a match in late October that would see him prohibited from challenging Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship if he lost, Orton had an added incentive to see Triple H lose the title.

Orton, along with Maven, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit, emerged victorious at Survivor Series 2004 in a match which entitled the winners to each be General Manager for one of the four weeks following the event. On the November 29, 2004, episode of RAW, Orton booked a battle royal for the World Heavyweight Championship in the belief that this would ensure that Triple H lost the title. However, Vince McMahon overruled Orton, changing the battle royal to a number one contender match. Orton also gave Eugene and William Regal a match for the World Tag Team Championship against La Résistance, pitted Jerry Lawler against Ric Flair in a "legend versus legend" match, and scheduled a lingerie contest between several RAW Divas.

After the World Heavyweight Championship was vacated on December 13, Orton was chosen to face Triple H, Chris Benoit, Edge, Batista and Chris Jericho in an Elimination Chamber match at New Year's Revolution 2005 on January 9, 2005 to determine a new champion. Triple H managed to win the match, thus keeping their feud active for a longer period of time.

2005

Orton was unsuccessful in his attempt to win back the World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H at the 2005 Royal Rumble on January 30, 2005. After Batista's push began, Orton was marginalized. He began an onscreen relationship with Stacy Keibler and Rko'd her to show Undertaker that Orton can beat him .Briefly feuded with Christian. After "Superstar" Billy Graham advised Orton to "go where no wrestler has gone before", Orton challenged veteran SmackDown! wrestler The Undertaker to a match at WrestleMania 21, making the ambitious claim that he would defeat The Undertaker, thus ending Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak.

This feud saw Orton hitting the RKO on Jake "The Snake" Roberts, who had warned him about facing The Undertaker. Just two weeks before WrestleMania, Orton cemented his heel status by knocking Stacy out with the RKO. He went on to slap The Undertaker and assault him following a distraction by his father, Cowboy Bob Orton. Despite interference from his father, Orton was defeated by The Undertaker at WrestleMania 21 after he attempted a Tombstone Piledriver, but was off-balance, enabling The Undertaker to reverse the move into his own Tombstone Piledriver for the pinfall victory.

In storyline terms, a match with Batista on the night following WrestleMania aggravated Orton's shoulder problems stemming from the previous night (in actuality he was sidelined for several months while recuperating from his third genuine shoulder injury). While injured, Orton appeared on the May 16, 2005, episode of RAW, declaring his intention to gain revenge on Batista by defeating him for the World Heavyweight Championship. Orton claimed that he could not be drafted to SmackDown! as a result of his injury, but was informed by Vince McMahon that he was in fact an eligible candidate for the draft.

File:Returnofrandy.jpg

Orton poses after announcing that he is SmackDown!'s second draft pick

Orton returned to WWE television on the June 16, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, attacking The Undertaker and announcing that he was the second SmackDown! pick in the 2005 draft lottery. He made his in-ring return on August 11, 2005, fighting Kamala to a draw. Orton went on to defeat The Undertaker at SummerSlam following a distraction from his father, the returning Cowboy Bob Orton, who was disguised as a fan. After SummerSlam, an overconfident Orton announced on the first episode of Friday Night SmackDown! that he was opening a retirement fund for The Undertaker. However, The Undertaker made his return by setting the oversized check ablaze with a mysterious bolt of lightning.

After losing to The Undertaker on an episode of SmackDown!, Orton and The Undertaker began taunting each other using caskets. This led to Orton and his father facing The Undertaker in a handicap casket match at No Mercy 2005. The Ortons defeated The Undertaker after Bob Orton blinded The Undertaker with foam from a fire extinguisher, enabling his son to strike him with a chair. After sealing The Undertaker in the casket, Orton set the casket on fire and struck it with an axe.

On November 11, 2005, Orton faced Rey Mysterio in a match with a place on "Team SmackDown!" (a group of SmackDown! employees scheduled to face a rival group of RAW wrestlers at the 2005 Survivor Series) on the line. Mysterio won the match by disqualification after Bob Orton interfered. However, the death of "Team SmackDown!" member Eddie Guerrero led to Orton being added to the team without having first won a qualification match. One week later, Orton was scheduled to face Guerrero and Batista in a triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship. However, as a result of the sudden death of Guerrero, Batista and Orton instead fought one another in a no holds barred match. The match again ended in disqualification following interference from members of "Team RAW". During the Eddie Guerrero RAW tribute, Orton lost to WWE Champion John Cena in a non-title inter-promotional match by disqualification.

At Survivor Series, Orton took Guerrero's place on "Team SmackDown!". Orton became the sole survivor of his team for a third time, pinning HBK to win the match for "Team SmackDown!". As Orton celebrated following the match, The Undertaker made his return, chasing Orton from the ring and indiscriminately attacking several other members of the SmackDown! roster.

On a special live episode of SmackDown! on November 29, 2005 Orton placed The Undertaker in the trunk of one of Eddie Guerrero's lowriders and reversed the car through the SmackDown! stage, setting it on fire. The Undertaker retorted by playing mind games with Orton over the next several weeks, leading to a Hell in a Cell match between the two being scheduled for Armageddon 2005. On December 16, 2005 Orton lured The Undertaker to the ring by declaring his "retirement". When The Undertaker entered the ring, one of the druids who typically accompanied him to the ring remained at ringside. The Undertaker was distracted as a result, enabling Orton to attack him and deliver an RKO. The "druid" then revealed himself to be Bob Orton, and gave Orton The Undertaker's signature urn to strike him with. At Armageddon 2005, The Undertaker defeated Orton after delivering the Tombstone Piledriver to both Orton and his father, finally ending their nine-month-long feud.

2006

Two weeks after Armageddon, Orton agreed to represent an injured Booker T in the fifth match of his "best of seven" series with Chris Benoit over the WWE United States Championship. As Booker T had won three of the matches already fought, Orton only needed to beat Benoit once to win the series for Booker. Orton lost to Benoit following botched interference from Booker T's wife Sharmell. He faced Benoit the following week, but lost once again after Orlando Jordan, interfered on Benoit's behalf. On the January 13, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Orton defeated Benoit, thus winning the United States Championship for Booker T and finishing the series four-three. The following week saw him face Orlando Jordan in a match because Orlando had interfered with Booker and Sharmell's celebration by attacking him in the middle of the ring. Orton won the match by a distraction from Booker and Sharmell which allowed him to hit the RKO for the win. The following week, Orton lost to Benoit in a no holds barred match.

Orton took part in the 2006 Royal Rumble match on January 29, 2006. Despite entering at number thirty, Orton was eliminated by Rey Mysterio. On the following SmackDown!, Orton challenged Mysterio to put his title shot on the line at No Way Out 2006, with Mysterio accepting his challenge. In the weeks preceding No Way Out, Orton made several controversial remarks about Eddie Guerrero. At No Way Out, Orton defeated Mysterio, earning himself a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22. However, on the following episode of SmackDown!, General Manager Theodore Long readded Mysterio to the match, turning it into a triple threat match between Orton, Mysterio and World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle. Orton protested the decision but was told by Long to accept it or lose his own shot at the title.

On the February 27, 2006 episode of RAW, Orton interfered in Chavo Guerrero's match with Shelton Benjamin, costing him his opportunity to take part in the "Money in the Bank" match at WrestleMania 22. He made another appearance two weeks later on the March 13, 2006 episode of RAW, this time delivering an RKO to WWE Champion John Cena.

On the March 3, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Orton came out to a new entrance theme, "This Fire Burns" by Killswitch Engage. He used the new music during the WWE Road to WrestleMania tour of Australia before reverting to Mercy Drive's "Burn in My Light" on the March 10, 2006 episode of SmackDown!. Both themes were be included on the upcoming WWE Wreckless Intent album.

On April 2, 2006 at WrestleMania 22, Orton faced Angle and Mysterio. Angle lost his title after Orton was pinned by Mysterio after taking a 619 followed by a West Coast Pop. On the April 7, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Orton was defeated by Mysterio in his first title defense. On the April 14, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Orton was defeated by Kurt Angle in the first bracket of the 2006 King of the Ring tournament.

On April 4, 2006, WWE stated that Orton was to be suspended for sixty days for "unprofessional conduct." On April 7, 2006, in an interview with WWE.com, Orton stated, "my conduct was unbecoming of a champion, which is what I will be again when I return." However, this interview has since been removed from the site. ^[1] On April 12, 2006, WWE stated that Orton had suffered a broken ankle at the hands of Kurt Angle during the previous night's SmackDown! taping, shortly after losing to Angle in a King of the Ring first round match. Orton returned from his suspension on the June 5, 2006 episode of RAW, attacking Kurt Angle and accepting Angle's open challenge for a match at ECW One Night Stand 2006. Four days before One Night Stand at the WWE vs. ECW Head to Head event, Orton announced that his contract with SmackDown! had expired, and that he was once again a member of the RAW roster.

Orton went on to lose to Angle at One Night Stand 2006. He later challenged Angle to a rematch at Vengeance 2006, with Angle accepting the challenge.

Finishing and signature moves

Orton delivering an RKO to The Undertaker.

• The RKO (Jumping cutter)
• Super RKO (Running elevated cutter)
• O-Zone (Overdrive)
• Elevated DDT
• European uppercut
• Gutwrench elevated neckbreaker
• Frog splash style flying crossbody
• Knee drop
• Standing dropkick
• Stretch backbreaker
• Wrenching rear chinlock

Championships and accomplishments

Although Orton is the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in the history of WWE, he is only the fourth youngest person to hold a version of the World Heavyweight Championship. Lou Thesz won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the age of 21, The Giant won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at the age of 23, and Kerry Von Erich won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the age of 24 years and three months in May 1984.

• Ohio Valley Wrestling

• OVW Hardcore Championship

Defeated Mr. Black on February 14, 2001 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, USA

Lost to Flash Flanagan on March 31, 2001 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, USA

• OVW Hardcore Championship (2)

Defeated Flash Flanagan on May 5, 2001 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, USA

Title is abandoned in October 2001

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI Rookie of the Year Award (2001)
• PWI Most Improved Award (2004)

• World Wrestling Entertainment

• WWE Intercontinental Championship

Defeated Rob Van Dam on December 14, 2003 in Orlando, Florida, USA

Lost to Edge on July 11, 2004 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA

• World Heavyweight Championship

Defeated Chris Benoit on August 15, 2004 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Lost to Triple H on September 12, 2004 in Portland, Oregon, USA

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• 2004 Most Improved Wrestler

Personal life

Before becoming a wrestler, Orton enlisted with the United States Marine Corps out of high school. Orton was dishonorably discharged about a year later after going AWOL on two separate occasions, the first time for eighty-two days, and disobeying an order from a commanding officer, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Private First Class Orton was convicted under a special court-martial, and was put into a military prison for thirty eight days. As this was before the law changed in 2002, Orton did not become a felon as a result.

While on RAW, Orton was accused of harassing fellow WWE employees Amy Weber and Rochelle Loewen, leading to the departure of Weber from the company, while Loewen was transferred to SmackDown! (she was later released). Loewen claimed that he vandalized her possessions and directed racist remarks towards her, calling him "an animal."^[2] It should however be noted that Orton's friend Mark Jindrak refuted several of Loewen's accusations in an interview with Voice of Wrestling, and claimed that Orton had apologized to Loewen at the time of the 2005 Royal Rumble, and that fellow Diva Search contestant (and eventual winner) Christy Hemme denied what she knew of the allegations in an interview with The Sun.^[3]

In November 2005, Orton announced his engagement to long term girlfriend Samantha.^[4]

Orton has a younger sister, Becky, and a younger brother, Nathan.

References

1. ^ Randy Orton responds to being suspended
2. ^ WWE Diva Rochelle Loewen talks about hazing from Randy Orton, claims he hated her
3. ^ Hemme is Christy clear
4. ^ Randy Orton Interview

External links

• WWE profile
• Randy Orton at IMDb
• RandyOrtonWeb.Com (fansite)