Randy Orton’s devastating RKO may never have come to exist had it not been for a discussion with the matter of the ‘Ace Crusher’ John Laurinaitis.
For over two decades, Orton has put opponents away with the move whose name is crafted from the Viper’s initials (Randy Keith Orton.) The Viper has used the move to capture WWE World Championships and it has taken out top names including The Undertaker, Mick Foley, Triple H, and many more.
Speaking to Bill Apter of WrestleBinge, Orton shared the origins of his iconic maneuver.
“Diamond Dallas Page had the Diamond Cutter, but John Laurinaitis had the Ace Crusher. At the time [the RKO was being invented] he was the Head of Talent Relations and we were trying to think of something that I could do to everybody no matter how big or how small they were. And the RKO was the move.”
While the move has seen countless opponents dispatched of (outta nowhere!) Orton did address the key issue with hitting the RKO.
“Unfortunately it requires me to take a bump every time I give the yeah so yeah, there’s that.”
Orton was interviewed at the St. Louis Hall of Fame ceremony where he inducted his father Bob Orton Jr. The elder Orton had plenty of praise for his son and described the RKO as a “beautiful move.”
What’s to Come?
Randy Orton will look to continue hitting RKOs on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown where he will face Tama Tonga in the King of the Ring semi-finals. The winner will advance to face GUNTHER for the crown at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
