Randy Orton

[0.0] "The single laziest worker in the history of professional wrestling who managed to turn hitting a chinlock for fifteen minutes into a legendary career. He does three moves, stares blankly at the hard camera, and calls it a main event while putting live audiences into a deep, chemical slumber. A completely coasting veteran who hasn't put an ounce of genuine effort into a TV match in over a decade, relying entirely on his entrance music and a sudden-burst RKO to steal a paycheck. It's a shame that this guy is more popular than a lot of other talent wrestlers. The most fakes finishers on earth. How on earth people think that thing is cool."

[6.0] "I'm old enough to remember when calling someone the GOAT in sports meant they were a colossal fuck-up. Now it's a meaningless participation trophy for anyone with a highlight reel and a loud fanbase. There's no universe, in this reality or the next, where Randy Orton is the greatest heel. He's off the WWE assembly line, and it shows. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it is rather obvious. Not one of his promos that I've ever heard sounds like something he came up with himself. He delivers his written lines like he's reading them off a cue card. None of it feels believable. His matches range from good to below average. He didn't even have a great match with Chris Benoit, which should be impossible. He's a Hall of Famer by WWE standards. That's about as far as I'd take it."

[10.0] "One of the most seminal heels this century, the legend killer gimmick serving to make a legend of him from an early age. Thr late 2000's saw his character booked pretty weak but he never lost much luster through it. As an older fella I've loved his reserved intensity, the way he saves it for big moments and is allowed to be a cool dude outside of his psychotic breaks. Has become a really good character through the years. Is a love or hate it performer in the ring, but I've loved too many of his matches to say he isn't good in the ring. He's one of my favorite WWE guys and deserving of all his success."

[10.0] "Randy Orton is a pillar of this industry. In 2002 he had all the tools to make it in this business. I could see it. Over time he worked intensely well on his charisma, he was deserving to be the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history at 24 years old, character-wise. He had natural swagger and carried himself with authority throughout the years he's been in the company. He is also a great ring general in the ring. He can elevate the new generation while still holding himself accordingly, a rare skill in this business. He should've been the man to break Undertaker's streak at WrestleMania 21, i believe he was ready character-wise to elevate this business to new heights. Put him above John Cena, because i genuinely believe Orton outranks Cena with natural presence. Marketable face and money-making presence. I'm surprised he never been in a WWE Films production. I would recommend rookies watch Randy Orton from 2002 all the way to 2012 and see how much he improved. He adapted, he took feedback, had a very recognisable end goal, gimmick, and easy to understand. He's sadistic, cranky and vicious."

[7.0] "Personally I don't hate Randy I just think that he's a bit over hype sometime. Doesn't mean I hate him as a wrestler? No of course not he has some great matches with Christian Foley and Bryan. He's a good main eventer and all that stuff but his best work is him as a heel just being a psychopath. I don't mind him in the title scene It's just I don't want to see him with the champion. Is there a story to tell with him going for number 15? Yes, doesn't mean I wanna see it? No I don't he a boring as world champion if I'm being honest."

[10.0] "A legend. You couldn't give him anything less than the highest rating. Look at what he's done for the company--the wins, the matches. You can't take any of that away from him; you can only hope he beats Cody in a great feud and comes back for the main title, because that WrestleMania run was a total flop--something best forgotten. Over the years, WWE has positioned him at various levels of the card. He won the United States Championship, the Raw Tag Team Championship, and the WWE Championship in 2020. So, you could say he's won everything there is to win. Yet, it's still far from enough; he deserved at least a couple more title reigns. We'll see what the company comes up with after their rivalry concludes."

[10.0] "Randy Orton is the absolute epitome of what a professional wrestler is supposed to be. Sitting at a 10/10 for me, he isn't just a generational talent--he genuinely stands as a strong candidate for the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in WWE history. When you look at his two-decade run at the top, the level of consistency and effortless execution he maintains is completely unmatched. From his explosive rise as "The Legend Killer" to the cold, methodical psychology of "The Apex Predator, " Orton has built a legacy that very few will ever touch. He is perhaps the purest in-ring general of his generation; his pacing, spatial awareness, and story-telling are smooth as silk, making even the most complex sequences look entirely natural. What separates Orton and cements his GOAT-level status is his unprecedented longevity and ability to stay relevant across radically different eras. Whether he is carrying a world title feud, putting on television classics like his recent MITB qualifiers, or elevating the next generation of talent, he oozes an undeniable "it" factor. Add in the RKO--arguably the most iconic, versatile finisher in wrestling history--and you have a performer who checks literally every box: look, psychology, charisma, safety, and iconic moments. While some critics might dismiss his methodical style as slow, that controlled pace is precisely why he has outlasted nearly all of his peers while remaining a top-tier main eventer. He was built in a lab to be a pro wrestler, and his body of work speaks for itself."

[6.0] "Randy Orton to me would be best described as a mixed-bag wrestler to me. This is primarily the case due to his match quality being massively hit-or-miss. The stars align at times when he wrestles someone. An example of this would be his match against Mick Foley. But Unfortunately, his methodical and slow approach takes quite a bit of points away for me as a lot of the time, it just doesn't click. Promo-wise, he's solid for what it's worth. With that being said, Orton is up there in terms of career resume, but match quality is one thing that holds him back a bit."

[10.0] "A few words, Greatest Heel to ever do it, he was better than every heel in his prime in 2009, Dude was genuinely A. scary B. Weird and C. uncomfortable and he was so good genuinely a goat"

[9.0] "The most important aspects of a wrestler are the look, in ring, charisma, and gimmick. He has all of those maxed out."

[10.0] "Randy Orton is GOAT'd. His sense of awareness in-ring has been unparalleled since the very beginning, the RKO is an unmatched finisher; this badass mf able to slam it out of the most perilous situations, coining the vibe of "out of nowhere." His mic work is stellar, his physique game is fantastic, & he knows when & when not to sell like a freakin' champ. One of those guys I'd start a fed from the ground up on."

[9.0] "Randyu Orton is just cool. I cant explain it, the finisher the music the in ring personna, the promos, everything is baddass. He has become so popuilar as a veteran that its hard to boo him, even when he is really trying very hard to be a heel."

[10.0] "Randy Orton is a living WWE legend, arguably *the* legend. He's still going strong while almost everyone else from his generation has moved on. Whether he's a babyface or a heel, he always knows how to entertain the crowd, often with a little interaction before the match that perfectly fits his character. He's one of the greatest sellers in the business, and his finishers are true classics. We need even more Randy Orton !"

[10.0] "Randy Orton is a living legend. While my friends were watching John Cena's matches and admiring him, Randy Orton became my favorite - one of the best wrestlers of his generation. Randy and John are like Messi and Ronaldo. Some consider Randy the best (like me), others prefer John. In my opinion, both of these guys have earned their spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. Yes, right now he's not in the best position for himself. There are simply no major plans for him, and he's only trotted out when someone needs to eat a couple of RKOs - just like it used to be with Steve Austin and his Stunners. But for his era, Randy has contributed so much to WWE, and for those contributions, he fully deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame."

[2.0] "His storied career and championship accomplishments are certainly nothing to scoff at, but at the same time I've never really gotten the hype behind Orton. When judging a performer, I take into account several factors: Wrestling ability first, then promo ability, character, and so on. Orton may be a wrestling legend, but actually viewing his matches is akin to torture. The WWE may chock it up to him being 'methodical' and 'deliberate, ' but I much prefer to call it as it is. Bad, boring wrestling. Call me harsh, but I'm not entirely certain I've ever seen a truly great Orton match where he wasn't being carried by somebody infinitely more talented. Mick Foley, for example. Yes, Orton can cut a promo, but in the WRESTLING business that simply won't cut it. Among others I've seen, Randy Orton absolutely ranks as one of my least favourite in the business."

[9.0] "6.5/10 from me, Accomplishments - 10, Charisma/Character Work - 9, Cultural Significance - 8.5, In-Ring Skills - 10, Longevity - 10 and Move-Set - 8 = 8.8 rounded up to 9/10."

[10.0] "The viper is a true legend in my opinion the best heel in the history of WWE he's an amazing character also good in ring he might not be the viper of 2000s but In his prime the legend killer was one of the worlds best"

[9.0] "Randy has it. He can go in the ring, talk, whether he is trying to convey a complete mad man or just trying to get heat based of his ego, everything. He one of the best sellers in wrestling history and has a amazing character, Randy now is definitely past his prime and can be boring at times but from 2004-2020 he was just so great, countless great rivalries and great moments."

[10.0] "For me, he's the greatest of all time. I knew him during his great rivalry with John Cena. I remember, as a child, being the only one who liked him at school. I don't know what else to say; it would take me hours to explain how much he meant to me in my life as a wrestling fan."

[10.0] "I can't lie probably the smoothest wrestler to ever live John Cena isn't lying when he says he makes things look so effortless, Randy Orton has countless classics with various opponents of different styles and sizes with guys like John Cena, Mick Foley, Undertaker, Kane, Christian, Edge, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and I can keep going and going. He has a unique talent where he can make anyone look like a million bucks with his top notch selling. His pacing is often referred to as slow by fans that just arent as in tone with what he is up to in the moment and fail to realize it's for the better rather then just worry about the matches next high spot what Randy does IS WRESTLING. he's also a master of in-ring psychology in many ways he feels the crowd early on in his matches and have a gradual build to the climax of the match to a point where everything he does literally means something the match usually has multiple memorable moments not to mention his finish the RKO is so over it's what everyone is waiting for every single night he's in the ring! And when he hits it oh boy does the crowd pop! He's the number 2 guy behind John Cena of his generation and he is easily somewhere in the top 10 of all time to ever do it!"

[5.0] "Quite like cena Randy has one of the greatest looks in wrestling the tattoos and attitude are perfect. Shame his workrate is mid and his feuds are boring. Just look at any match vs cena or H for reference.he also buries just as much talent IMO look at bray and kofi and cody but he never got shit for it"

[5.0] "Randy Orton as a character has always been an unbelievably great showman. His mic skills as a heel can be quite good but as a baby face he is poor . His ring work is ok , used to be better but nowadays just ok"

[8.0] "Randy Orton excels in character work but I can't say the same for his in-ring work. Apart from the RKO, he doesn't really have much going for him, his style is basic and boring, I can't really think of a classic Orton match. He was very good in the ring during his early years but I think his numerous arm and shoulder injuries forced him to take a safer approach. Far better as a heel, I never saw him as a convincing babyface, that period of his in the early 2010s when he worked as a face was when he was at his blandest in my opinion. 2009 will forever be his best year, especially for his character work, they've never been able to recapture that magic despite a few attempts to try to. His work in various tag teams and stables has been very good, a solid track record for him in that regard. Overall, Orton is a consistent worker that has never disappeared since he began (not counting injuries and...ahem...suspensions) and, in my opinion, an individual that will soon receive a well-deserved legend status"

[9.0] "All I have to say that 2009 Bald Randy Orton was the ultimate menace and possibly the best heel in WWE history."

"My all time fave from one of the most immature to one of the most respected all round. Elite seller. Killer promos (not always) great chemistry with most with a few exceptions. Once he's retired he'll well and truly get his flowers"

[9.0] "The only thing that prevents him from being a 10 is that he had poor chemistry with some of the top guys such as Cena, Roman, Triple H etc., but he's still a legend without a doubt. He's one of if not the greatest heel in WWE history, he's a great promo and has one of the most iconic finishers in pro wrestling history. There's so much to like about him."

[9.0] "Randy is an all time great and one of my favorites but there is one thing that stops him from being a 10 which I'll get into. First off this guy is one of the best heels of all time. The character work quality of this guy is through the roof. He's a good mic worker too. His aura is almost unmatched and every time he's on your screen you're just happy. His finisher is also the most iconic finisher of all time. There's a reason why it's been memed so many times. However the thing that stops him from being a 10 is his match quality. His overall match quality is good but not great. Like if he's on your screen you're more than likely gonna get a solid to good match but almost never a great match. Like seriously I can't remember the last time I saw a Randy match and said wow that was great. Overall I love this guy but that one flaw stops him from being a 10."

[10.0] "Had one of the greatest heel runs ever, and now he's a great mentor in the locker room. Every story he's apart of I love to watch."

[8.0] "To be honest, I love Randy but his matches often never really excited me. That isn't to say he isn't good in the ring, he definitely is and he has probably the most iconic finisher in wrestling history. But I honestly never really watched his matches and left thinking "this will me remembered years to come". I would say Randy is the embodiment of consistency. He's a great promo giver with great charisma and crowd control. His matches won't blow you away from peak wrestling but he'll consistently deliver good matches. 8/10"

[10.0] "Randy Orton is the Last Ronin. He is the last of his kind, who is wrestling full time. Better enjoy it, before it's over."

[10.0] "He is really talented wrestler i mean he put so many good matches and so many good titles in his career and i almost impressed him every match too he is really good in mic and shotting promos tho"

[10.0] "The last Ruthless Aggression great that we have left in WWE. His feuds with Triple H, John Cena, Batista, Edge, and so on are the stuff of legend."

[9.0] "When I first started watching WWE in 2015, Randy Orton was my favorite. I'll forever love Randy Orton. He's good in the ring, fantastic on the mic, and he's one of the best heels WWE has ever had."

[10.0] "Randy Orton is one of the greatest of all time. His 2009 heel work was absolutely disgusting (in a good way) and he was probably the genuinely most hated heel at the time. He, alongside Roman and Drew, carried the pandemic era. It's sad to see how he's been booked recently. Cena should've held the WWE Championship until December and Randy should've retired him. In my opinion, Randy should break Cena's record and win 18 world titles, but we all know that it's never gonna happen with the current booking. Orton has the looks, the charisma, some iconic gimmicks, and definitely the most iconic wrestling move of all time being the RKO. He's not perfect, but he's as good as it gets."

[10.0] "Randy Orton divides many with his backstage antics in the past and his perceived laziness in-ring but when motivated I genuinely feel there's very few who can go toe to toe with him. He's one of the pillars of the PG Era and to some extent the Ruthless Aggression Era along with the likes of Cena, Edge and Batista. Not to mention the fact that he's won world titles in double digits, he's from an era of bonified legends and can still put up bangers, the crowds appreciate him much more and even sing along to his iconic theme now since they know the time is nearing. Overall, looking at his longevity, nobody matches Orton. From a standpoint of looks, charisma, character work - there's rarely many as iconic as the Viper, or the Legend Killer. There's never going to be another Randy Orton. Someone who gets a crowd going crazy with just a pose."

[7.0] "One of the most frustrating wrestlers to watch of all time for me. A guy that found a routine while he was young and did very little outside of the routine for most of his 20+ years. When he has an opponent he's motivated by, like his excellent feud with Christian for instance? He's great. He has something fun to do that he's into, like the RKBro stuff or cartoonishly murdering the Singh Brothers? He's wildly entertaining and so, so good. He's obviously immensely talented, he just doesn't go beyond the routine a lot of the time and you can absolutely tell when he's excited about something and when he's not feeling it. When he's not feeling it, he's a DREADFULLY boring autopilot wrestler. When he's excited, he's one of the best to ever do it. It's not about the speed - he's a slow wrestler but I like plenty of other slow wrestlers, like Okada and Bockwinkel. Orton's slow work just never feels as focused or as meaningful as theirs does, when he's in a slow match Randy mood. When he's animated and explosive, he's MUCH better but he doesn't go into that bag as often as I'd like. So like sometimes he's a 10 and sometimes he's a 5, I guess that makes him a 7?"

[6.0] "I'll be honest, I cannot get into Randy Orton at all. There's pockets of his career that I was digging but his style is just way too slow for what I enjoy. I also felt like his promos in the 2000s and 2010s weren't necessarily awful, but they were boring. Still some very good stuff to look back on, however."

[8.0] "The Legend Killer himself, The master of RKO.Nobody had a longer carrier than Randy Orton in WWE.He always puts over young talent.His 2009 version is considered one of the greatest heel characters of all-time.He deserve one more world title run."

[9.0] "The man with probably the most iconic finisher in all of wrestling, Orton is definitely the most 'WWE Superstar' crafted and his rise in both maturity and in-ring skills has been really fun to watch."

[6.0] "Randy Orton is a very good superstar. But not a very good wrestler. He's very lazy in the ring; he lives off his aura and viral moments. It's really not my thing."

[6.0] "Probably one of the biggest beneficiaries of the WWE style of wrestling and presentation. A lot of Randy Orton's aura and mystique lies around how he is presented, as a conniving snakey asshole, which is pretty cool. His finisher is obviously rather iconic and overtook the DDP's diamond cutter (unfortunately) with it become a viral meme/phrase. However, frankly as someone that values work rate his career is honestly kind of lacking. Most of his value comes from character and that is perfectly fine for how the WWE runs and presents things."

"Randy Orton might be the most talented wrestler that WWE has seen in the past two decades. He constantly keeps evolving and rises the bat. His intensity and work ethic are in the league of his own."

"Randy Orton has been a mainstay at the top of wrestling for two decades, blending natural talent with a smooth in-ring style that few can match. His longevity and ability to reinvent himself have kept him relevant across multiple eras. From his days as The Legend Killer to his championship reigns and memorable rivalries, Orton has proven himself as one of the most reliable and iconic performers in wrestling history."

[10.0] "The Viper, one of the best wrestlers of his generation, Randy is capable of much more than he shows; his shoulder injury at a young age slowed him down."

[8.0] "I will always give Randy props for being one of the few guys from his generation who is still consistently wrestling. I think this is mainly because Randy seemed like a natural at many aspects of wrestling from the beginning and was able rise up very quick because of it. While he definitely had some down periods in his career the longevity is unprecedented and at the very peak of his work was able to be one of the best heels in wwe history."

[9.0] "Chiseled and was made to be the neutral and general look on what a pro wrestler really is, Randy Orton has it all in him. He has every tool in the business to be succesful and has made a amazing career on who and what he is today. Aswell as one of the best heels in his generation."

[8.0] "One of the finest and most reliable wrestlers in all of wrestling history, oozing that "it" factor that many seek to have."

[9.0] "Randy Orton is one of the most consistent and versatile performers in wrestling history. His longevity, smooth in-ring style, and iconic moments--from the "Legend Killer" days to The Viper's cold, methodical persona--make him stand out. Whether he's in a world title match or elevating younger talent, Orton always brings something compelling. His timing, psychology, and ability to tell a story in the ring are elite. A true generational talent."

[9.0] "I seriously think that Orton is perhaps the greatest ring general WWE's ever had (well at least in the upper card). Always able to get fantastic matches out of his opponents, knows what the crowd expects from him, and just so creative when it comes to putting together spots. Orton also oozes charisma and confidence no matter what role he's placed in, there's a reason that he's been given chance after chance by WWE, and he's deserved and made the most out of almost every single one of them. He's more than deserving of his "Legend Killer" moniker, and I can only hope Randy continues being such a strong performer for years to come."

[5.0] "Apart from his early Legend Killer gimmick, Orton is one of the most consistently unengaging figures to ever have a multi-decade presence at the top of a roster. Admittedly, his mic skills aren't so much lacking as undercut by his prime being in WWE's 20-minute promo era, and when he can keep things shorter he's able to put across a good heel aura. But almost no one has done less with more main event time, working a methodical, drawn-out style that's like HHH but with more mobility. Occasionally clicks as a tag partner when his in-ring time is reduced and made more purposeful, and there's no denying the the RKO has made for some electric finishes, but otherwise it's baffling that a guy who was widely considered mediocre at the peak of his push is now enjoying revisionist nostalgia despite nothing about him improving."