A third-generation star who had been told since day one that he was the future of professional wrestling, Orton garnered a great deal of heat early in his career as the breakout star of Evolution. He was touted by Triple H as being the "diamond in the rough," the greatest prospect in the sport and one of the pillars of the industry's bright future. With a cocky, arrogant smile and a conceited attitude, Orton had no trouble drawing the hatred of the audience. When he adopted the "Legend Killer" persona and began disrespecting, belittling and humiliating the men and women that made the business what it is today, that hatred intensified tenfold. Spitting in the face of Harley Race was one thing, delivering an RKO to the Fabulous Moolah or punting Mick Foley down a flight of steps was something entirely different. No matter how despicable his actions may have been, he got away with them because he could back everything up once he stepped between the ropes. He beat Foley in a violent and barbaric match at Backlash 2004. He outwrestled Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam that same year. He proved to be everything Triple H claimed he was. As the Viper, a colder and more calculated villain, Orton committed truly wretched acts. He delivered nauseating punts to the heads of Mr. McMahon and John Cena, Sr. He DDT'ed Stephanie McMahon, then kissed her as her husband--and former Orton mentor Triple H--watched on, his wrist handcuffed to the ropes. In an Iron Man match at Bragging Rights 2009, he even attempted to blow John Cena up with pyrotechnics. After a three-year run as one of WWE's most popular stars, he reverted back to his villainous ways. He became the so-called "Face of the WWE," the Authority's chosen champion. A whiny heel who essentially became the lapdog for Triple H and Stephanie, the character was a colossal failure and Orton has yet to be truly rehabilitated following his loss of the WWE title at WrestleMania. Orton's heat has not always come strictly from the WWE Universe. He has been the target of heat from his co-workers and management in the past thanks to an attitude that rubbed those in power the wrong way. Like so many performers in other forms of sports and entertainment, his success and immaturity fused to create a monster that was in desperate need of a reality check. Two suspensions and dependency on narcotics nearly led to Orton's dismissal from WWE. The birth of his daughter provided that much-needed reality check and bred a more mature man, something he eludes to in the 2011 DVD release, "Randy Orton: The Evolution of a Predator." Like Angle and Guerrero, Randy Orton built up good will with the WWE audience. As both the Legend Killer and the Viper, there was an element of coolness that surrounded him that endeared him to the fans. Whether it was his great RKO finisher or the cerebral, strike-first nature of the Viper, he has always had his share of supporters in the audience, keeping him from standing atop this list as one of the truly great heat magnets of the last 14 years.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
