Ranking 10 WWE Matches That Turned Wrestlers Into Superstars

In his debut match against Hardcore Holly, 22-year-old Randy Orton already seemed like a legitimate competitor. He had the look, the move set, and the in-ring presence to make it in the business. But when you share the same last name as a WWE Hall of Famer, it's tough for some people to accept you based on your own merits.

And so once Orton embarked on his "Legend Killer" gimmick, it felt like he lacked a certain gravitas to really embody the character. He played up the brashness and narcissism well enough, but it didn't come backed by much experience. And it's hard to take seriously someone who hasn't paid their dues.

In April of 2004, Orton paid off a large chunk of those dues with his flesh, taking on the Hardcore Legend Mick Foley in a No Holds Barred match. No amount of name recognition or good looks is going to help you when your body is getting dropped onto a pile of thumbtacks and your face is getting raked with a barbwire baseball bat.

Taking those bumps put Orton on the map as a legitimate main event contender, because it finally felt like he'd earned it. As Foley would later put it, "There was a sudden respect because he had just gone through years of learning in one night. He suffered greatly."