Randy Orton is a veteran of this business in every sense of the word. The Viper continues to perform at the highest level. He has achieved everything there’s to achieve in the industry. His in-ring psychology is second to none.
Orton has amassed tons of praise from fans and peers alike for his character work and in-ring abilities. Bully Ray has described him as the perfect archetype of a pro wrestler. The WWE locker room looks up to him as a leader.
The Legend Killer’s WrestleMania profile is stacked as well, having worked the Biggest Show of the Year 18 times to date. He’s faced some of the biggest names in the industry such as The Undertaker, Triple H, and The Rock at the high-profile event.
Let’s explore Randy Orton’s five best WrestleMania matches.
Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 22)
WrestleMania 22 featured a stacked card. The World Heavyweight Championship match saw Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton challenge Kurt Angle in a triple threat outing for the title. This was a fast-paced match-up with some perfectly-time sequences.
Angle looked like an absolute machine in this match. Mysterio looked great as the underdog. Orton did great work as the cocky heel, who held more than his own against two of all-timers.
Vs. Seth Rollins (WrestleMania 31)
Randy Orton and Seth Rollins had an intense feud on the road to WrestleMania 31. The Viper had watched the former Architect slowly creep into The Authority and make everything about himself. After going back and forth for months, the two finally met at WrestleMania 31 to settle the score.
Orton and Rollins delivered a great match in front of a wild crowd. Every spot was delivered with precision. Rollins had already established himself as a solid player and his match against Orton only improved his resume. The match is remembered for one of the greatest RKOs of all time from the Viper.
Vs. The Undertaker (WrestleMania 21)
Randy Orton versus The Undertaker was one of the finest rivalries of the Ruthless Aggression Era. Orton had already cemented himself as The Legend Killer through his destruction of Mick Foley, Jerry Lawler and other iconic names when he came face-to-face with The Undertaker.
The two men met for the second time in singles action at WrestleMania 21. This turned out to be a great match with Orton showcasing his athleticism to take control of his much bigger and experienced opponent.
Taker looked fantastic here as well. One might argue this was the start of his legendary run of great matches at WrestleMania. Oh, and the chokeslam reversal into an RKO was a thing of beauty from Orton.
Money in the Bank Ladder Match (WrestleMania 23)
Randy Orton’s first Money in the Bank appearance came at WrestleMania 23. The Legend Killer found himself in the ring with CM Punk, former Rated RKO partner Edge, Finlay, Jeff Hardy, King Booker, Matt Hardy, and Mr. Kennedy.
Orton became a highlight reel for the crowd when he delivered a plethora of RKOs on almost every person that got in his way during the match. He’d cap off the tremendous exchange with an RKO on Punk off of the ladder.
Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan (WrestleMania XXX)
Randy Orton has main-evented WrestleMania twice in his illustrious career. The third-generation superstar headlined both the 25th and 30th anniversary of the PLE. While his match against Triple H failed to deliver in 2009, the three-way between also featuring Batista and Daniel Bryan emerged as arguably Orton’s finest WrestleMania performance.
The match in question featured one of the best build-ups as well. Though the storyline largely revolved around Bryan and his quest to reclaim the title, it wouldn’t have been nearly as great without Orton’s involvement as the ultimate foil to the American Dragon. The match itself featured some fantastic in-ring booking, which made it worthy of the main event spot.
Honorable Mentions
- Randy Orton vs. CM Punk (WrestleMania 27)
- Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Triple H (WrestleMania XXVIII)
- RK-Bro vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy (WrestleMania 38)
- Evolution vs. Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection (WrestleMania XX)
Also read: Randy Orton Thanks Drew Gulak For Giving Him Confidence After Spinal Surgery
