Randy Orton's Bizarre Rant Provides Fuel to the Fire for Indy Wrestling Fans

Late into the night, with his phone about to die, Randy Orton doled out remarks that set the internet ablaze.

Already the subject of ample criticism from pro wrestling's diehard fans, the WWE champion stoked the flames of antipathy with a strange Twitter rant. By insulting the indy wrestling community and throwing his money in their faces, Orton gave his detractors more ammo.

It began over the weekend when retired wrestler Rip Rogers shared a post (link contains brief NSFW language) criticizing indy matches.

Orton retweeted Rogers and later called Bubba Ray Dudley an "old outta shape 'vet.'" In response to the backlash that followed, Orton responded with an "apology" dripping with disdain:

That didn't exactly endear The Viper to fans or wrestlers on the indy circuit.

In a short space, he managed to scoff at the indy style, refer to fans as "marks," brag about the money he makes and dismiss an entire subsection of the wrestling world. As Bill Hanstock of Uproxx wrote: "It was truly a tour de force of insulting people's livelihoods."

As much as this troll job has angered many, the WWE champ isn't likely to be fazed by it.

Orton is no stranger to a strained relationship with wrestling fans. Some pushed back after Orton made disparaging comments about former WWE talent Kelly Kelly in an interview on 98KUPD's Real Rock (h/t Cageside Seats). As Brad Davis of SEScoops noted, Orton was involved in an altercation at Night of Champions 2012 after he gave fans the middle finger.

Orton apologized in both instances, but they surely damaged his reputation in some minds.

Rumors of him being a diva and a backstage bully have persisted. And it doesn't matter whether they are true or not in this case. Those who chose to believe them will hold these stories against him.

Add his two suspensions for banned substances and his berating of Kofi Kingston during a match in 2010, and it's easy to see why Orton is far from a beloved figure.

The Viper is also perceived as being born with a proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. He's a third-generation wrestler who didn't have to toil in the armories he spoke of. He sped through the WWE developmental system and was the world heavyweight champion by age 24.

That makes him far from being an indy darling.

Some fans will always prefer wrestlers like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who honed their craft for years in front of the types of crowds Orton dismissed. The Ortons and John Cenas of the world are often not given the credit they deserve due to a lack of street cred so to speak.

Voices of Wrestling talked of how much that bothers some wrestlers:

And Orton's late-night post won't help him win over anyone. It will further the divide between him and wrestling's diehards.

His potshots at Dudley and "marks" will be the latest entries on a long list of gripes some fans have.

Not that it will matter to Orton, though. He has plenty of supporters. He continues to be a successful WWE star, complete with high-profile bouts and championship reigns. And this likely won't be the last time he upsets folks on the internet.

PR isn't his specialty; RKOs are.