Randy Orton and the Apex Predator's Place in WWE History

When Randy Orton decides to trade RKOs for quiet mornings on his porch, he will most certainly be considered among the greats in WWE history.

Being that he is only 32, that moment may not come for another decade or more.

The Viper will be a sure-fire entrant into the Hall of Fame. He will have left us with a ton of classic matches and memories.

But where does he rank among WWE's absolute best?

Orton will be remembered as a long-time main eventer, a top-notch performer and will eventually find a resting spot on the second tier of the pantheon of all-time greats.

 

What He Will Be Remembered For

Right away, it was clear that Randy Orton was an immense talent.

On April 25, 2002, in his first televised match, Orton more than held his own against Hardcore Holly.

Wrestling seemed to come naturally to him. He had a big presence, a great look and athleticism to spare. It's no surprise that WWE soon made Orton the youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever. 

Orton will be seen as a third-generation wrestler who surpassed the legacy of his father and grandfather early in his career.

He will be remembered for longevity and consistency.

With more than 10 years of wrestling ahead of him, Orton has already won nine world championships. He has been in the main event scene or just below it for years now.

He is wildly popular, receiving electric pops in arenas across the country. 

Who knows how that reaction will change as Orton's career continues? Perhaps his fan base grows stronger as the years go by or perhaps WWE fans grow tired of him.

Theoretically, we've only seen half of Orton’s career. To maintain his popularity he will have to evolve much the way he has done in his first 10 years, evolving from The Legend Killer to The Viper.

Fans will look back fondly on his Street Fight with Mick Foley at Backlash 2004. They will remember his work with Edge, Chris Benoit and Triple H.

His feud with Christian in 2011 produced some of his best work to date.

With Orton's in-ring ability and the number of high-profile opportunities he will receive, he will keep adding to his impressive resume.

Those Above Him

When WWE released a DVD which ranked the 50 best superstars of all time, they placed Orton at 29. How much faith can you put in a list that has Jerry Lawler over Hulk Hogan though?

What the list did get right is that Orton will certainly be in the top 50.

Orton has had some good promos, especially early in his career, but that's not his strength. He is not nearly as charismatic as the upper echelon guys.

Catchphrase machines like The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold and Chris Jericho have to be above him.

And as talented and successful as Orton is, he hasn't done anything to revolutionize the sport.

Roddy Piper changed wrestling forever with his mic ability, his envelope pushing and introducing The Piper's Pit. You can say that Shawn Michaels, Bruno Sammartino, The Undertaker and Gorgeous George all had similar effects on WWE.

They all made an indelible mark on WWE history.

Orton will always be looked at as a bright star, but can't be said to have furthered pro wrestling and WWE the way the previously mentioned men have.

Yes, Orton is and will be one of WWE's top guys, but in one of its blandest eras.

Had The Viper's career started in the late '90s, would he have been able to stand out among the best from the Attitude Era? Would he have even sniffed a world title with Austin, Rock, Mick Foley and Undertaker in his way? 

Unless something monumental happens at the back end of Orton's career, he has to be placed below guys like Edge, Ted DiBiase Sr, Kurt Angle, Superstar Billy Graham, etc.

With all the star power at the top of the rankings, Orton can't find a place among the top 10, but the top 25 is within reach.

The Unknowns

Orton is one Wellness Policy violation from being released.

Injury and the possibility of a third strike are the two main obstacles to Orton finishing out his career as fantastically as he started it.

The WWE landscape is sure to change dramatically in the next decade as well.

Thus far, Orton has done well to adapt. Should he remain stagnant with his gimmick and persona, he won't live up to his full career potential. 

If WWE can find a way to keep him relevant year after year, Orton's career could end up being mind-bogglingly good. But as great as he is and will likely be, WWE's history is saturated with legends.

Orton will be inducted into the Hall of Fame and have his named kicked around in debates over the sport's best, but never spoken of in the same revered tone that WWE's ultimate success stories are.