35 Current WWE Stars And Their '90s Counterparts
8. Randy Orton/Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Right, forget the whole snake thing.
Whilst the lazy connection between Orton and Roberts would be to play on the whole viper and snake angle, there’s far more in common for the two than just a slithering reptile.
Both of these talents love to play mind games, using every opportunity and every word and syllable to get into the head of their opponent. And that’s something that also carries over to their in-ring work, with both methodical in how they tackle an adversary during a match. As well as both seemingly getting pleasure from dismantling a fellow superstar, both Jake and Orton have finishers that are explosive. Yes, the DDT is sadly just a throwaway move these days, but in the ‘80s and ‘90s it was an instant-hit finisher that dropped the fiercest of foes.
Another angle to look at it is that despite being top level talents, neither Roberts nor Orton have ever been “the guy”. Jake’s early ‘90s WWF run was always hampered by the presence of Hulk Hogan at the top of the card, and whilst Orton is a multiple world champion, it’s always been the case that John Cena has been viewed as “the man” for the last decade or so.