10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 2004 Facts

3. Randy Orton Became The Youngest World Champion In WWE History

Undertaker SummerSlam 2004
WWE

Brock Lesnar still holds the record for youngest WWE Champion ever, at 25 years, six weeks. Lesnar, infamously, ended up flying the WWE coop in March of 2004, tired of the grueling road life, and wanting to try his hand at professional football.

Randy Orton was destined for an accelerated push to the top of WWE the minute he was made Triple H's apprentice around the turn of 2003. That he was put into the World title scene at such a young age isn't surprising, but it does feed into a conspiracy theory.

When Orton went over on Chris Benoit to become World Heavyweight Champion at SummerSlam 2004, he was merely 24 years, four months old, breaking Lesnar's WWE record for holders of either World Title under the WWE banner. Did WWE put Orton on top so young just to spitefully nudge Lesnar out of the record books? I'd doubt it, but it is an interesting thought.

Contributor
Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.