History of Randy Orton in Timeline
Randal Keith Orton, known as Randy Orton, is an acclaimed American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE's SmackDown brand. Celebrated as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Orton's career spans over two decades. He is recognized for his numerous achievements, including tying for the third-most world championship reigns in professional wrestling history.
April 1, 1980: Randal Keith Orton Born
On April 1, 1980, Randal Keith Orton, who is now known as Randy Orton, was born. He is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE's SmackDown brand.
1998: High School Graduation and Marine Corps Enlistment
In 1998, Randy Orton graduated from Hazelwood Central High School and subsequently enlisted with the United States Marine Corps.
1999: Bad Conduct Discharge from Marine Corps
In 1999, Randy Orton received a bad conduct discharge from the United States Marine Corps after going AWOL and disobeying an order, resulting in 38 days in the brig.
2000: Wrestling Debut
In 2000, Randy Orton made his wrestling debut at the Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling (MMWA-SICW), marking the start of his professional wrestling career.
2000: Signing with WWF and Joining OVW
In 2000, Randy Orton signed a deal with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) for training.
February 14, 2001: First OVW Hardcore Championship
On February 14, 2001, Randy Orton won his first OVW Hardcore Championship by defeating Mr. Black.
May 1, 2001: WWF House Show Debut
On May 1, 2001, Randy Orton made his debut on WWF house shows, facing Billy Gunn and suffering a defeat.
May 5, 2001: Second OVW Hardcore Championship
On May 5, 2001, Randy Orton won his second OVW Hardcore Championship by defeating Flash Flanagan.
March 16, 2002: WrestleMania X8 Fan Axxess Appearance
On March 16, 2002, Randy Orton made one of his first official WWF appearances at WrestleMania X8's Fan Axxess, where he was defeated by Tommy Dreamer.
April 25, 2002: Televised WWF Match Debut
On April 25, 2002, Randy Orton had his first televised WWF match on SmackDown!, securing a victory against Hardcore Holly.
September 2002: Trade to Raw Brand
In September 2002, Randy Orton was traded to the Raw brand and defeated Stevie Richards in his debut on the show, marking a change in his career path.
2002: OVW Class of 2002
In 2002, Randy Orton's promotion to the main roster made him a member of OVW's legendary Class of 2002, alongside John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Dave Batista.
February 2003: Injury
In February 2003, Randy Orton suffered an injury, sidelining him for a period of time.
May 2003: Return to Evolution
In May 2003, Randy Orton returned as a masked man, interfering in a match between Kevin Nash and Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H before unmasking himself and re-joining Evolution.
2004: Evolution Dominance
From 2003 to 2004, Evolution dominated Raw, with all the men's titles held by its members after Armageddon in 2003.
2004: Jimmy Kimmel Live! Appearance
In 2004, Randy Orton appeared on the talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote Taboo Tuesday.
2004: "Legend Killer" Gimmick and Intercontinental Championship
Throughout 2004, Randy Orton established himself as the "Legend Killer", embarking on feuds with wrestling veterans and winning the Intercontinental Championship from Rob Van Dam at Armageddon on December 14.
January 9, 2005: Elimination Chamber Match
On January 9, 2005, at New Year's Revolution, Randy Orton participated in an Elimination Chamber match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship, where he was the last man eliminated by Triple H.
February 2005: On-Screen Relationship with Stacy Keibler
In February 2005, Randy Orton began an on-screen relationship with Stacy Keibler and briefly feuded with Christian.
March 2005: Feud with The Undertaker
In March 2005, Randy Orton began taunting The Undertaker, claiming he would end his WrestleMania undefeated streak, and turned heel by delivering an RKO to Stacy Keibler.
February 2006: WWE Talent Wellness Program Launched
In February 2006, WWE launched its Talent Wellness Program, which they stated superseded the steroid allegations against Orton.
2006: Formation of Rated-RKO
In 2006, Randy Orton joined forces with Edge to form the tag team known as Rated-RKO, marking a significant moment in his career.
March 2007: Deal or No Deal Appearance
In March 2007, Randy Orton appeared on the game show Deal or No Deal alongside Edge, John Cena and Bobby Lashley.
March 2007: Steroid Allegations
In March 2007, Sports Illustrated alleged that Randy Orton obtained steroids and ancillary drugs.
September 21, 2007: Marriage to Samantha Speno
On September 21, 2007, Randy Orton married Samantha Speno.
2007: Two WWE Championship Reigns
In 2007, after Rated-RKO disbanded, Randy Orton secured two WWE Championship reigns in one night, establishing himself as a top star.
2007: Character Change
In late 2007, Randy Orton's character changed to a more unstable and treacherous personality.
January 2008: Orton on Playing a Heel
In January 2008, Randy Orton stated that being a heel is fun and comes naturally to him.
2008: The Legacy Formation
In 2008, Randy Orton formed The Legacy with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr., where he served as the leader of the group.
2009: The Marine 2
In 2009, Randy Orton was initially set to star in the action film The Marine 2, but was replaced due to injury.
2009: Royal Rumble Winner
In 2009, Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble match, marking a significant achievement in his WWE career.
January 11, 2010: Orton wins triple threat match
On January 11, 2010, Randy Orton won a triple threat match with help from Rhodes and DiBiase, earning the right to challenge Sheamus for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.
2010: The Legacy Disbandment
In 2010, The Legacy, led by Randy Orton, disbanded, marking the end of an era for the stable.
2011: Edge Retirement
In 2011, Edge retired from wrestling due to career-ending neck injuries.
2011: That's What I Am
In 2011, Randy Orton had a supporting role in the comedy-drama film That's What I Am.
January 27, 2012: Randy Orton returns to the ring and attacks Wade Barrett
On January 27, 2012, Randy Orton returned to the ring after an injury sustained by Wade Barrett, and attacked Barrett on SmackDown.
2012: Punt Kick Banned
In 2012, the Punt Kick was banned by WWE management due to the ease of imitation by viewers and the risk of injury should the move be botched.
2012: Separation from Samantha Speno
In late 2012, Randy Orton and Samantha Speno separated.
June 2013: Divorce from Samantha Speno
In June 2013, Randy Orton divorced Samantha Speno.
2013: WWE World Heavyweight Champion
In 2013, Randy Orton unified the World Heavyweight Championship with the WWE Championship at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
2013: The Marine 3: Homefront
In 2013, Randy Orton was replaced in The Marine 3: Homefront due to his military career.
October 2014: RKO Vine Trend
In October 2014, Randy Orton became popular on Vine with the RKO "fail" trend.
November 14, 2015: Marriage to Kimberly Kessler
On November 14, 2015, Randy Orton married Kimberly Kessler.
2015: The Condemned 2
In 2015, Randy Orton starred in the action film The Condemned 2.
2015: "Face of the WWE"
In 2015, while aligned with The Authority, Randy Orton was named the "face of the WWE", solidifying his position as a top star.
July 7, 2016: Randy Orton vs Brock Lesnar announced for SummerSlam
On July 7, 2016, it was announced that Randy Orton would face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.
December 2016: Guest Role in Shooter
In December 2016, Randy Orton had a guest role as James Richards in an episode of the USA action series Shooter.
2016: Joining The Wyatt Family
In 2016, Randy Orton joined The Wyatt Family, marking a surprising alliance in his career.
January 29, 2017: Randy Orton wins the Royal Rumble
On January 29, 2017, Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble match for the second time in his career, last eliminating Roman Reigns.
2017: Turning on The Wyatt Family
In 2017, Randy Orton turned on The Wyatt Family after winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship with Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper.
2017: Second Royal Rumble Win
In 2017, Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble match for the second time, adding another accomplishment to his career.
August 2018: Sexual Harassment Investigation
In August 2018, Randy Orton was investigated by WWE for sexual harassment allegations, but nothing came of the investigation.
2018: Tattoo Lawsuit Filed
In 2018, Catherine Alexander filed a lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive and 2K Games for using her copyrighted tattoos on Randy Orton's likeness in WWE 2K video games.
2018: Grand Slam Champion
In 2018, Randy Orton won his first United States Championship, becoming the 18th overall Grand Slam Champion.
January 27, 2019: Randy Orton eliminated from Royal Rumble by Andrade
On January 27, 2019, at the Royal Rumble, Randy Orton entered the match at number 29, eliminating Rey Mysterio before being eliminated by Andrade, ending their feud.
October 2019: Controversial Remark on Twitch
In October 2019, Randy Orton received criticism for saying a racial slur while playing Call of Duty on a live Twitch stream.
2019: Changeland
In 2019, Randy Orton had a supporting role in the comedy-drama film Changeland.
January 26, 2020: Royal Rumble match
On January 26, 2020, at the Royal Rumble, Randy Orton entered the Royal Rumble match at number 25 and was later eliminated by Edge.
June 2020: Punt Kick Returns
In June 2020, the Punt Kick was brought back as part of the feud between Orton and Edge where Orton used the Punt Kick to defeat Edge at Backlash.
October 26, 2020: Feud with The Fiend Begins
On October 26, 2020, Randy Orton began a feud with Bray Wyatt, now known as The Fiend, and Alexa Bliss.
September 2021: Tattoo Lawsuit Trial Postponed
In September 2021, the trial for Catherine Alexander's tattoo lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: Most PPV Matches in WWE History
Following his match at the 2021 Survivor Series, Randy Orton broke Kane's record for wrestling the most PPV matches in WWE history, solidifying his legacy.
January 10, 2022: RK-Bro Lose Raw Tag Team Championship
On January 10, 2022, RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) lost the Raw Tag Team Championship to Alpha Academy, ending their reign at 142 days.
October 2022: Tattoo Lawsuit Ruling
In October 2022, the judge ruled in favor of Catherine Alexander in the tattoo lawsuit, awarding her $3,750 in damages.
2022: Back Injury Hiatus
In 2022, Orton suffered a legitimate back injury and was expected to be on hiatus for the rest of 2022.
September 2023: Riddle Released from WWE
In September 2023, Riddle was released from WWE, effectively ending RK-Bro.
November 20, 2023: Orton's Return Announced
On November 20, 2023, it was revealed that Randy Orton would return at Survivor Series: WarGames.
January 27, 2024: Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match
On January 27, 2024, at Royal Rumble, Randy Orton failed to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship from Roman Reigns.
2024: King of the Ring Tournament and World Heavyweight Championship Match
In 2024, Randy Orton lost to Gunther in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament and failed to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Bash in Berlin on August 31.
