Randy OrtonBio

Randy Orton was born a WWE Superstar.
From the moment he was hatched, The Viper walked among the ring’s most revered figures, even calling one of them “dad.” His father is WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton, his uncle Barry “Barry O” Orton and his grandfather, the late “The Big O,” Bob Orton Sr., all among the most fierce and rugged grapplers of their generations.

Most kids remember their first ball game or school play; Randy’s childhood memories include sitting in the kitchen of his family’s St. Louis home with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, and repairing a broken banister leaned on by Andre the Giant. He wasn’t even 5 years old when he watched his father knock out “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff in the main event at the inaugural WrestleMania.
The voices coiling through Orton’s head today have not misguided him. And neither did Triple H and Ric Flair, who groomed Orton early on, welcoming him into their elite faction, Evolution. Under their tutelage, the 24-year-old Orton became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history at SummerSlam 2004. The next night on Raw, however, an envious Triple H, who coveted Orton’s championship, attacked his stablemate and jettisoned him from the faction.
The treachery was shocking, but also critical to Randy’s own evolution. In the years that followed, he perfected his “Legend Killing” RKO — a signature move named after his own initials and the maneuver’s knockout vigor. How feared is it? Just ask the men who’ve succumbed to a lightning-quick RKO strike from literally every possible angle or position: Mick Foley, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
As dangerous as he is solo, Orton was arguably even more threatening when paired with Edge as half of Rated-RKO in 2004 and with The Legacy’s Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase throughout the “Age of Orton” in 2009. More recently, The Viper’s chosen to partner with internal voices stirred by Intermittent Explosive Disorder, a disease marked by extreme outbursts of rage.
After winning the Money in the Bank All Stars Match, The Viper waited for the perfect time to cash in and claim his tenth World Title: SummerSlam. After Daniel Bryan defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship, Orton cashed in his contract and – with a shocking assist from special guest referee, WWE COO and longtime rival Triple H – pinned a helpless Bryan to claim the WWE Title.
At Night of Champions, the determined challenger caught The Viper with a devastating running knee strike to reclaim the WWE Title. A quick three-count and referee Scott Armstrong’s suspect admission of some kind of conspiracy with Bryan the next night on Raw, however, were enough for Triple H to strip the bearded wonder of the title and hold it in abeyance, leading Orton and Bryan to a showdown for the vacant title at WWE Battleground. That match, too, ended in dispute when Big Show stormed the ring and KO’d both Superstars. Finally, at WWE Hell in a Cell, Orton once again became the Face of WWE, defeating Bryan and claiming the WWE Title after special referee Shawn Michaels' unanticipated Sweet Chin Music to his former pupil.
After his coronation ceremony the following night on Raw was interrupted by Cena, The Viper got himself disqualified in a match against Bryan. When the Cenation leader rushed to the ring to help the downed Bryan, Orton seized the opportunity to hit him with a brutal RKO. After enjoying a “Randy Orton Career Retrospective" on New Year's Raw and sharing heated words with Ric Flair the next week on Old School Raw, Orton now turns his attention to his looming rematch with Cena at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Jan. 26. As announced by Stephanie McMahon, there will be no stipulations, no interference and no excuses in the championship clash, which can only end by pinfall or submission.
Meanwhile, WWE’s Apex Predator's next move as the Face of WWE and Champions of Champions remains unknown; all that is certain is that when The Viper next strikes, it will be without warning