WWE veteran Randy Orton believes NXT talent don’t know how to protect each other in the ring.
The veteran is coming up on his 20th anniversary since his debut in WWE. Orton has become one of the few active veterans that have competed with the company since the early 2000s. As a veteran of the WWE locker room, Orton believes that wrestlers from NXT lack the knowledge to protect their opponents.
In an interview with Smackdown Commentator Pat McAfee, he talked about dealing with the longevity in WWE. Orton also praised Edge and felt it was refreshing to work with someone he looked to as a mentor. He then compared working with a veteran like Edge and dealing with newer wrestlers, which he feels work unsafe.
“…When Vince was on, he talked about his number one priority, above all being to protect your opponent. That’s not taught necessarily in NXT, and I know that because I’ve been in the ring with guys that came from NXT, and they don’t know what the f*ck they are doing, and it’s unfortunate,” said Orton.
Does Randy Orton Have a Point about NXT Talent?
WWE calls up talent from NXT that they believe is ready to work on the main roster. It’s unclear if WWE Chairman Vince McMahon thinks that NXT call-ups could not protect others in recent years.
While Orton shared his belief, he omitted what former NXT talent didn’t protect him in the ring. Although, Wrestling fans have seen an incidence where a former NXT talent hurts someone on the main roster.
One of the recent examples is Ridge Holland accidentally breaking Big E’s neck with a belly-to-belly suplex on the ringside floor. However, it may not be fair to blame the coaching in NXT on accidents that involved a former NXT talent. Orton also clarified that he wants to help talent have longevity in wrestling but didn’t share how he’d plan to support up-and-coming talent in NXT.
Orton will defend his Raw Tag Team Championship with Matt Riddle against Alpha Academy and The Street Profits at Wrestlemania 38: Night Two on Apr. 3.
