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NZPWI Interview

IGN Sports: Every decade or so, a wrestler or two comes along who elevates the sport of wrestling to new heights. You had Hogan, you had The Rock and Austin. Are you next in line to help carry WWE?

Randy Orton: Wow, what a question. I have confidence in myself, but The Rock, Austin, and Hogan, those guys are rare. I think there are a few of us like Cena, like Lesnar was before all of that went down, myself, Batista, I think there are some guys like that who have all come along at the same time and now are working out way up. Maybe the next era won't be led by an individual like a Rock or an Austin, but a group of guys who are going to bring the business to a new level, the future of the business.

IGN Sports: Could we see that new era ushered in at Wrestlemania?

Randy Orton: I believe if it hasn't started already, then these main event matches featuring myself and Cena are going to be big for us. Of course, last Wrestlemania was big for Cena as well and I had a great match with Undertaker, but a lot of us are moving up in the card and gaining those top spots. I remember five years ago, the same group of guys, Batista, Cena, Lesnar, we were all in the same group starting out, so it's nice to see everyone graduating to that next level.

IGN Sports: How much did you learn from Ric Flair and Triple H when they took you under their wing?

Randy Orton: Besides being born in the business, that was the best thing to ever happen to me. Teaming up for Evolution, I think Batista and I credit a lot of our success to Ric Flair, but especially Triple H. He has an amazing psychology for the business. He understands how to tell a story, and you just pick his brain the best you can while riding with him. It was a great advantage for us in terms of learning our craft.

IGN Sports: Batista told me they never pulled any pranks on him when you guys were traveling, but you had some stories to tell…

Randy Orton: It would always involve women and sticky situations I needed to work my way out. [laughs] If those were pranks, then dammit, I want to be a victim of pranks every day.

IGN Sports: At Wresltemania this year, you're featured in one of the main events against Kurt Angle and Mysterio. What can fans expect out of the match?

Randy Orton: I'll tell you what, me and Rey tear the house down with each other in singles competition. Kurt Angle and I have yet to go toe-to-toe in the squared circle, and I was hoping Wrestlemania would be that day, but when you throw in the triple threat element and Rey Mysterio is that extra man, I think it's an equation that's going to equal Match of the Year potential, I really believe that. I think me and Kurt would've been an excellent singles match, but now that Rey is involved, it's going to be a different kind of match, but it's going to be great in so many ways.

IGN Sports: When you're cutting promos on people, is any area off limits? I know you took some heat for what you said about Eddie Guerrero and how he was in hell.

Randy Orton: It's definitely not personal. I said what I had to say, and people can take it one way or the other or ten different ways for all I know, but I said what I said to get under Rey's skin. He won the Royal Rumble, he did, I admit it. Sh*t, I hate to admit it, but he did. My arrogance caused me to lose the Royal Rumble, and the only way I could get that spot back was to challenge him to a match. Of course, who is going to put that on the line, so I used his closest friend, and a close friend of mine, Eddie Guerrero, who did pass, but I'm mature, I'm an adult, I know what's right and what's wrong, and what I said was wrong, but it was intended to get somebody so mad that they didn't know what they were doing at the time. What I did worked, I'm glad I did it, and if I had to do it again, I would.

IGN Sports: Is that why it's so much more fun to play the role of a heel?

Randy Orton: Oh yes. I'm sure I'll work baby face again in my career, but being a heel, I don't want to say comes natural, [laughs] but I guess it does come natural for me I guess, I hate to say. Times ten, my personality out there is a heel, I enjoy it, I love it, and I'm growing as a heel every week.

IGN Sports: As you were tearing through your Legend Killer routine, were there any legends who came out who sent chills down your spine?

Randy Orton: A lot of them. Mick Foley, the match we had at Backlash is one of my two or three favorite matches ever. Much props to him, he puts his body on the line, and what he did for me that day, I'll never forget. Jake "The Snake", getting the chance to talk to him all day, and just picking his brain…you know, he has his demons, but he's an intelligent person and he knows the business like no other. The things he said to me made me realize things I've never realized before about the business. Harley Race, of course, I spit in his face, and to get away with that, you have to have a special place in the man's heart. Luckily for me, he's friends with my dad, and when it comes down to it, he let me spit in his face. [laughs]

IGN Sports: How much of an advantage is it being a third-generation wrestler and growing up in the business like you did?

Randy Orton: Being born into the business, I had the connections. A lot of guys aspire to be professional wrestlers, but you need to get trained the right way. And then once you're trained, you need to get to that next level, and really, the WWE is the only place to do it. TNA is up and coming, and that's great, we need competition. I wouldn't consider them competition right now, but besides WWE and TNA, unfortunately, there really isn't another place to make a good living being a professional wrestler. Fortunately for me, like I said, I was born in the business.

IGN Sports: You mentioned earlier about Jake "The Snake". Do you consider the RKO this generation's DDT in terms of a lights-out finisher?

Randy Orton: Yeah, I try to protect it as much as possible. If I hit somebody with it, I make sure they don't move for quite some time. That's protecting your finish. The DDT was a great move, but everyone can kick out of a DDT these days. Back then with Jake, he'd stop a guy in his tracks and that would be it. That's how I want the RKO to be. It's a versatile move, and something based on timing so I could hit it on anyone from Viscera to Rey. To me, I want it to have the same impact the DDT had 15 years ago.

IGN Sports: Here's a strange question, but if you win the title at Wrestlemania, what do you do with the belt when you try to board a plane?

Randy Orton: That's actually a really good question. I've never been asked that before, but I keep it by my side the entire time. I do not check it. [laughs] I've got a nice little Halliburton and it stays right in that bad boy, locked up.

IGN Sports: I've just heard of strange things like losing the Stanley Cup. Has anyone ever lost their belt?

Randy Orton: I haven't heard any stories off hand, but going through security sometimes, the belt will set off alarms. Security will take it out and look at it and I usually end up pitching a fit and get searched. I'm like 'put that title down, stop going through my stuff.' Next thing you know the security supervisor is running over…'Is there a problem sir?' You have to protect what's good to you, what you hold close to your heart, and that's the title. If you're responsible to have it, you have to be responsible enough to keep an eye on it.

IGN Sports: Rock told me that one time he won Mark Henry's European belt in a game of Madden.

Randy Orton: I believe it. [laughs] That sounds like something they would do on a bet.

IGN Sports: With your family's history in wrestling, did you ever have thoughts of not going into the business?

Randy Orton: Growing up, I always wanted to be a part of wrestling, but I never really thought it was going to be an opportunity for me. My father and mother really shied away from me being in the business, and I actually went into the Marine Corp out of high school for a very short stint. I got discharged solely because I wanted out and wanted to become a professional wrestler, so at 19 I decided to head to OVW with the blessings of Bruce Pritchard, Tom Pritchard and the WWE, and within a year and a half I was on TV. It was a lot really quick, but I trained hard and tried to prove to everyone that I could do whatever it took.

IGN Sports: How long did it take for your dad to make it to WWE?

Randy Orton: As far as years, I'm not sure, but he started in the late 60's, early 70's and by the time he was in WWE, it was around 1981. It took him a good amount of time, but he paved the way for me, just like my grandpa paved the way for him and my uncle. So it gets easier every generation. Bless them for everything they've done for me. I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for them.

IGN Sports: What was it like for you last year inducting your dad into the Hall of Fame?

Randy Orton: I was the first inductee out and there were so many fans out there razzing me that I was actually a little shaken up. I was in a tuxedo, ready to induct my father into the Hall of Fame, which is such a great honor, and I had these fans yelling obscenities at me. I quickly got over it and it was great. My dad came out and I gave him that hug on national TV…it was a good feeling.

IGN Sports: The best part about the Hall of Fame is listening to all of the crazy stories. Did you used to hear those all the time growing up in a wrestling family?

Randy Orton: I grew up around the business, so a lot of guys would come over to the house in St. Louis when they worked that area. My mom would have them over, I was probably around 5 or 6, and Andre The Giant would be at the house, Greg Valentine, Piper, Muraco, Fuji, all the guys who were friends with my dad. When I traveled, I would be in the locker room with my dad and see all the guys like Junkyard Dog…I have a lot of great memories with those guys.

IGN Sports: When you were first coming up, what was the moment you realized you were going to make it?

Randy Orton: When I started on TV, I was really nervous. I wasn't as confident in myself or my abilities as I am now. I'd say it was a while before I felt, I don't want to say comfortable because you're never really comfortable, but you eventually get a confidence about your abilities. I think the match where I gained my confidence was the match with Mick Foley at Backlash, and then the promo I cut the following night. I felt really good about that when I had the scars on my face and the holes on my back from landing on all those thumbtacks. I remember after that, just feeling really good and a few of the agents, PS Hayes and Arn Anderson came up and said 'That's heat, kid.' I know those compliments weren't coming from anywhere, they weren't blowing smoke, those comments were sincere, and from those guys, it really meant something. That's when I really felt I was a part of the company and I could potentially lead this company in the future.

IGN Sports: Are you glad you're wrestling in the era where you can just be a bad-ass legend killer and not a clown or a hockey player?

Randy Orton: Back in the day when the gimmicks, the characters were a part of wrestling more than they are today, with guys like Doink The Clown, I think that was good for then, but times have changed and now guys are coming out as their own person. Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Shelton Benjamin, Randy Orton, I think it just fits with today's day and age. Fans want to see real people, relate to real people, and they can do that by people just being themselves, like I am, myself.

IGN Sports: If you were wrestling in the gimmick era, what would you have picked?

Randy Orton: My dad was a cowboy, so I'd probably just follow in his footsteps and be a cowboy myself. [laughs]

IGN Sports: Wrestlemania is only a few weeks away, what's your favorite Wrestlemania moment of all time?

Randy Orton: Definitely the first one with my dad in the main event. He hit Orndorff coming off the top rope with the cast, and that was the biggest moment for me. Just my dad being a part of the first Wrestlemania in Madison Square Garden, then the fact that 20 years later I was in a top match in that same arena, same event, and my dad got to watch me from the stands. Both of those moments together are special, special moments for my family. Wrestlemania is the biggest event in our business, and it means everything to be able to wrestle your best on that stage. That's what this business is all about.

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