Vince McMahon Didn’t Want to Sign Randy Orton to WWE

Published 09/16/2021, 12:07 PM EDT

The Viper is one of the most decorated wrestlers in WWE history. Randy Orton has cemented a legacy so iconic that only a few other wrestlers have a better resume than him.

However, did you know that the 14-time World Champion was originally rejected by Vince McMahon? Legendary commentator Jim Ross detailed how he recruited Orton against McMahon’s original refusal. On his “Grilling JR” podcast, Ross stated,

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“Every recruiting story is different. I had a hard sell to get Randy Orton hired because of his negative exit from the Marines, and Vince, being a strong patriot, didn’t like how that worked out with Randy in the military. I said, ‘Didn’t you get a second chance, [Vince]? Well, what’s the difference with this kid? He’s third generation. If he hits, look what we have. If he doesn’t hit, I can get rid of him in 90 days notice. What do we have to lose?’”

“He’s going to end his career as one of the greatest talents. Hall of Famer, no doubt, but also going to be regarded by his peers as one of the greatest in-ring workers. It worked out well.” (H/t WrestlingInc)

We cannot fathom WWE without the ‘Apex Predator‘ in it. His contributions towards the WWE since his debut have been nothing short of legendary. Orton is indeed a future Hall of Famer and a WWE legend. Not only as a solo wrestler, his chemistry with other wrestlers in tag teams is also commendable

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Randy Orton is the best partner for Matt Riddle

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The veteran Viper is probably the best partner for the young Matt Riddle. Both wrestlers have very contrasting personalities that complement each other very well. WWE got this tag team spot on. It was a breath of fresh air when all other parts of Raw fell stale. There was a general worry among the fans that WWE management might prematurely break up the fan favorite duo.

The team of ‘RK-Bro’ is one of the best things on Raw and it is all because of Riddle and Orton’s incredible professionalism and ability to gel with wrestlers. We are glad Vince McMahon changed his mind and saw the immeasurable potential Orton had in him as a young wrestler.

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Written by:

Aditya Pran Mahanta is a WWE and AEW author for EssentiallySports, who is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Arts degree. Being a sports fanatic, he has played at the state level badminton in his younger years but his love for WWE overtook all other passions. Being a decade-long wrestling fan, he relishes the older wrestlers and wishes that the newer generation had the same Edge. He is a passionate fan of Rey Mysterio for his high flying style, Edge for being The Ultimate Opportunist, and Razor Ramon because nobody messes with the Bad Guy!

Vince McMahon Didn’t Want to Sign Randy Orton to WWE

Randy Orton is the best partner for Matt Riddle

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