By: Cliff Brunt for stltoday.com
9/8/2004 4:10:17 PM
St. Louis' "Legend Killer" is King of Pro Wrestling
By Cliff Brunt for STLtoday.com
09/08/2004
World Wrestling Entertainment champion Randy Orton applies a
headlock to challenger Chris Benoit in Orton's first title defense
on Aug. 16. The St. Charles resident successfully defended the belt
a day after winning it at SummerSlam, a pay-per-view event.
At age 24, St. Charles resident Randy Orton has reached the
pinnacle of the professional wrestling world.
Orton, a World Wrestling Entertainment superstar, became the WWE's
youngest-ever heavyweight champion when he defeated Chris Benoit at
SummerSlam last month. When he's introduced as heavyweight king,
the announcer reminds the world that the "Legend Killer" is "from
St. Louis, Missouri."
The graduate of Hazelwood Central High School was born in
Knoxville, Tenn., but has lived in the St. Louis area since he was
in the first grade.
"I represent St. Louis," Orton said. "I'm proud to live here. I say
where I'm from all the time."
Orton combines exceptional athletic ability, technical wrestling
skills, charisma and a great "look," to create one of the most
complete packages in professional wrestling.
Jim Ross, the WWE's senior vice president of talent relations,
considers signing Orton at age 19 one of his finest
accomplishments.
"Randy's future is potentially as viable as any athlete we have
ever had in the WWE," said Ross. "Time will tell, but if Randy can
avoid the injury bug and continue to make the right choices outside
the ring, he could end up as the most prolific superstar in the
long history of the WWE."
There are countless benefits to being young, rich and increasingly
famous. Since becoming champion, Orton said, he is recognized more
often in public. He expects to appear on the Conan O'Brien and
Jimmy Kimmel TV talk shows as well as Comedy Central's "The Man
Show." He will headline the WWE's next pay-per-view event,
"Unforgiven," on Sunday.
Alhough Orton's ring character is arrogant and perhaps a bit smug,
he's not like that in real life. He is surprised that so much has
happened so fast in his 4 1/2 years of wrestling.
"I accept it," he said, "but I'll never be used to it. It bewilders
me that people want my autograph."
A family tradition
Orton, 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, has benefited from being part of a
wrestling family. His father, legendary "Cowboy Bob" Orton Jr.,
lives in Florissant. Grandfather Bob Orton Sr. was an equally
respected wrestler.
That lineage, combined with natural ability, hard work and timing,
have propelled Randy Orton to the top.
"The business is in a position where it needs to find new stars,"
he said. "I'm one of those guys. Every time they've given me the
ball, I've run with it."
A new set of rules has come with being the pearl of Vince McMahon
Jr.'s company, known until a year ago as the World Wrestling
Federation.
"It's stressful," Orton said. "There's more responsibility. I have
to represent the company in a way I've never had to represent the
company before. Now, I'm like, 'OK, let's think twice about this
before I do the things I used to do.'"
Orton draws comparisons to another superstar who held the
distinction of youngest champion.
"Randy Orton reminds me of The Rock in so many ways," the WWE's
Ross said. "Randy and Rock are both third-generation wrestlers, and
both have displayed an amazing aptitude for this business virtually
from the first day they stepped into our training
facilities."
The comparisons initially made Orton uncomfortable. He realizes
that The Rock, aka Dwayne Johnson, is a personality who has had
success in Hollywood and is well known outside the wrestling
ring.
"He's done so many great things," Orton said. "He has been a world
champion, and even more. That's what I need to do."
Now, he's starting to see why the comparisons are being made.
"A couple years ago, I would have said there's no way I should be
compared to him," Orton said. "As time goes on and I become more
successful, as fast as I have, I love the compliment, and I believe
it."
It would seem natural that Randy would want to follow in his
family's footsteps, but he toyed with the idea of doing something
else. He joined the Marines, but was discharged and returned to the
family business.
"I was eventually going to do this," he said.