page_title: Randy Orton
section_title: Professional wrestling style and persona
hierarchical_section_title: Randy Orton / Professional wrestling style and persona
caption_attribution_description: Randy Orton aplicando un RKO a The Miz
context_page_description: Randal Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand.
  Orton is a third-generation professional wrestler; his grandfather Bob Orton, father Bob Orton Jr., and uncle Barry Orton were all professional wrestlers. Before being signed by the World Wrestling Federation, he trained in and wrestled for Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling. He was then signed by the WWF and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he held the OVW Hardcore Championship twice.
  Orton became a member of the stable Evolution shortly after his WWE debut, which quickly led to an Intercontinental Championship reign, his first title with the company. He also acquired the moniker "The Legend Killer" during a storyline where he began disrespecting and then physically attacking WWE Hall of Famers and wrestling veterans. At age 24, he became the youngest world champion in WWE history after he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Chris Benoit. With this win, he departed from Evolution and a feud with his former stablemates began.
context_section_description: Orton's most notable move is his finishing maneuver, the RKO, a jumping variation of a cutter. The name is derived from his initials (Randal Keith Orton). He also previously used a punt kick, which saw him run up to an opponent on their hands and knees and kick them in the head; within a storyline, this usually caused a concussion or some other sort of severe head injury to his opponent, and was often used to write off the on-screen characters of wrestlers who were scheduled to take time off. However, the move was legitimately banned by WWE management in 2012 due to the ease of imitation by viewers and the risk of injury should the move be botched. The move was brought back in June 2020 as part of the feud between Orton and Edge where Orton used the Punt Kick to defeat Edge at Backlash. Orton would then start using the move regularly again.
  During his initial years in WWE, Orton's gimmick was that of "the Legend Killer", a young and cocky talent who disrespected and usually defeated several legends. In late 2007, in the midst of his second WWE Championship reign, his character changed to a more unstable and treacherous personality. He then adopted the nicknames of "the Viper" and "the Apex Predator" due to his untrustworthy, snake-like character. He has said numerous times that he prefers playing the villain as it is easier and more natural for him: "It's easy for me to go out there and be a prick on the show because it's me times ten. And even though you probably don't like me anyway, give me five minutes and I'll make you not like me more. Being a heel is fun. It comes so natural."
caption: Orton executing the RKO on The Miz in 2011
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