Tennessee native Randal “Randy” Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler and sometimes actor. Orton is under contract with WWE and performs for the SmackDown brand.
His grandpa Bob Orton, Sr., his father “Cowboy” Bob Orton, and his uncle Barry Orton all competed in the professional wrestling industry.
Early Years
Randy Orton was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on April 1, 1980, as the eldest of three children. His mother, Elaine, was a nurse, and his father, Bob Orton Jr., was a professional wrestler. Randy’s parents tried to dissuade him from pursuing a wrestling career since it would require him to be constantly on the road and away from his family.
Orton was an amateur wrestler during his time at Hazelwood Central High School. After graduating from high school in 1998, Randy enlisted in the marines, where he twice went AWOL and disregarded a direct order from his commanding officer. This ultimately led to a poor conduct discharge in the 1999 for his acts.
Wrestling Profession
In 2001, Ortan debuted in the sport of wrestling at the Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling. One year later, he acquired a contract with WWE, then known as the World Wrestling Federation, and was transferred to Louisville, Kentucky to continue his training.
Orton won the OVW Hardcore Championship twice during his stay in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) by defeating Mr. Black on February 14, 2001, and Flash Flanagan on May 5 of the same year. Beginning in May of 2001, he began to participate in many WWF house shows, ultimately becoming a regular competitor.
Typically, he wrestled in tag team fights and faced numerous opponents, including Chuck Palumbo, Shawn Stasiak, and Steven Richards. Randy made one of his first WWF debuts on March 16, 2002, at WrestleMania X8’s Fan Axxess, where he was defeated by Tommy Dreamer.
After making his debut on the Raw brand, Orton sustained a shoulder injury that prevented him from competing for several months. During his rehabilitation, he appeared on “Randy News Network,” which aired between Raw programs. This finally resulted in his character’s transformation into an egotistical antagonist in the WWE plot.
After his recuperation, Orton began referring to himself as “The Legend Killer,” portraying himself as a rising superstar conquering the wrestling world by storm. Typically, he began feuds with veteran and well-respected wrestlers by criticizing them. This would result in one of his most prominent bouts against Shawn Michaels.
Around this time, Orton would invent his signature move, known as the “RKO” and named after his initials, a jumping cutter move. Randy defeated Rob Van Dam for the Intercontinental Championship at Armageddon in December of 2003.
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This resulted in him holding the title of Intercontinental Champion for 210 days, the longest reign in the past seven years. He maintained it until July of the following year when he was defeated by Edge. Randy became the leading challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship after losing his Intercontinental Champion status.
After defeating Chris Benoit at the age of 24, he became the youngest world champion in WWE history. He held the title until he was defeated by Triple H one month later. Due to a knee injury in 2017 and 2018, Orton had a brief sabbatical from the “Legend Killer” storyline in 2017 2018. However, he has maintained the plot to the present day.
Randy Orton Wealth and Income
Randy Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor with a net worth of $7 million. He is signed to WWE. He is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
Orton was descended from a line of wrestlers since his grandpa, father, and uncle all pursued this profession. He competed in the Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling and Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association before joining WWE.
Randy gained the WWE ring name “The Legend Killer” after a story arc in which he violently assaulted and ridiculed WWE Hall of Famers and other prominent wrestlers. In 2004, he won the Global Heavyweight Championship, becoming the youngest world champion in WWE history at the time.
Private Life
Orton married Samantha Speno on September 21, 2007, and had a daughter called Alanna on July 12 of the following year.
The divorce was finalized in June 2013. The next year, Randy married Kimberly Kessler on November 14, 2015. In 2016, they welcomed a daughter named Brooklyn, and they currently reside in St. Charles, Missouri.
What Are The Controversies?
In March of 2007, “Sports Illustrated” published an article on steroid and growth hormone use among athletes.
In the report, Randy Orton’s name was mentioned along with the allegation that he used several performance-enhancing hormones and pharmaceuticals. WWE claims these charges were made prior to the establishment of their Talent Wellness Program in February 2006.
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In August of 2018, the WWE also investigated Orton for sexual harassment. Early in his career, Randy supposedly exposed himself to new members of the WWE’s writing team. These allegations and the investigation were fruitless.
Real Property
Randy Orton acquired a 2,600-square-foot home in a gated community in St. Charles, Missouri, in 2013. It features three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a master suite, and a variety of leisure rooms, including a safe room.
In 2016, Orton successfully sold his expansive home. The price to sell was $775,000