7 Awesome Wrestling Moments That Put Randy Orton On The Map

Randy Orton has worn many guises during his WWE career, from the unhinged commander of a group of entitled wrestling-in-their-blood rookies to an unhinged disciple of a bearded cult leader seven years his junior.

His first, though, was as Evolution's (only slightly unhinged) lapdog Legend Killer, who got his kicks by disrespecting the industry greats who paved the path his generation walked.

This was the perfect gimmick to establish RKO as the brooding heel he would later become (as if alligning him with early 2000s Triple H wasn't enough). Instead of pairing him up with guys his own age in show-stealing matches - of which young Orton, the proprietor of a beautiful standing dropkick, was more than capable - WWE had him (literally) spit in the face of beloved old-timers enjoying the warmth of their hometown crowds.

It worked to such an extent that it became difficult for audiences to get behind Orton when he finally turned away from the dark side in 2004. It did, however, put him firmly on the way to the main event - and here are seven marquee moments en route.

You can get intentionally disqualified to retain your title, and you can rush your opponent from behind while they're making their entrance - but nothing says heel quite like dropping an 80-year-old woman with an RKO. With the possible exception, perhaps, of dropping an 80-year-old woman with an RKO while she's finishing up her landmark public birthday celebrations, and then grinning like only full-on voice-hearing mode Randy Orton can.

This was one of the defining moments of Orton's early career, and - without Trips and Flair egging him on from the sidelines - it was notable for him generating crowd heat less for being a part of Evolution than for just being... well, a d*ck. JR sold it like Moolah had been murdered (to be fair, in kayfabe terms, it was at least attempted murder), and Moolah, refusing to phone it in despite her years, followed suit.