10 Best WWE Rookie Years

Randy Orton was given quite a leg-up during his rookie year with WWE, the son of 'Cowboy' Bob having been cast as Evolution's third wheel alongside Triple H and Ric Flair. Many fans, at the time, worried that nepotism may have been at play (not exactly unusual in the professional wrestling world), but Orton - who quickly became a star in his own right - put those fears to bed in spectacular fashion.

Orton regularly closed out Raw doing the bidding of his Evolution running mates during 2003, eventually becoming embroiled in feuds of his own against the likes of Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam and, most brutally, Mick Foley. His first World Heavyweight Championship win was a little over a year into his WWE run, but few have ever accomplished so much so young.