5 Qualities that make Randy Orton 'The Number One Guy' in WWE

In my opinion, 13-time World Champion Randy Orton is arguably the best Superstar, and by far the best heel, WWE has ever produced. Whenever Orton himself praises any Superstar, it means the world to them, given his standing and experience in the industry.

However, thanks to 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, it was The Viper being showered with praise just before WrestleMania 36. talkSPORT spoke to Flair before the event, and he said that Orton is the number one guy in WWE right now.

“Nobody is higher on Randy Orton than I am. I think, right now, he is doing some of the best work he has ever done and I think Edge is too. Randy has done and accomplished so much and he’s been there a long time – people don’t realize this.”

Orton took on Edge at WrestleMania 36, where the two men competed in a Last Man Standing match. The rivalry that started after the 2020 Royal Rumble, where Edge made his return to the ring after nine years, ended after Edge delivered a Con-Chair-To the vicious heel in a match that lasted over 35 minutes.

The Nature Boy event went as far as to claim that his daughter Charlotte Flair is the female version of Orton in WWE, which says a lot about how much respect he has for his former Evolution stablemate.

While Orton lost his match at WrestleMania, he remains 'The Number One Guy' in all of sports entertainment. In this article, we will look at the 5 things that make Orton one of the best there is in the industry today,

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#5 His health

At 40, Orton is still one of WWE's fittest Superstars

Randy Orton isn't new to the WWE. He signed with the company almost twenty years ago in 2000/01, and just turned 40 years-old a week ago. This makes him one of the longest-tenured Superstars in WWE, and he still has several years to go.

One thing that sets him apart is his health, as he does not look a day over 30. In fact, he rarely spends too long on the shelf with injuries, and even though he has had his fair share of injuries, he remains one of WWE's most active Superstars.

During his interview with talkSPORT, Ric Flair had the following to say about The Viper:

“E every time he says something, it’s the truth. And his level of ability right now and his health are both great. He’s at the top of his game, which, in my opinion, makes him the number one guy.”

Staying fit and healthy, both physically and mentally, is extremely important for being successful in the industry. Arguably, Orton has been the role model for fitness in WWE for several years.

#4 His accomplishments

Not everyone can achieve what Orton has during his career

What sets Randy Orton apart from the rest of the crowd in WWE are his achievements in the ring. We all know how many Championships John Cena, Ric Flair, and Triple H have amassed during their career, but the way Orton has done it puts him in unique company.

The 13-time World Champion has 9 WWE Championship and 4 World Heavyweight Championships to his name. At age 24, he became the youngest world champion in WWE history after he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Chris Benoit.

He’s held the titles for over 800 days combined, which makes up for more than ten percent of his career! The Viper was the final holder of the World Heavyweight Championship, which he unified with the WWE Championship to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, defeating John Cena at TLC in 2013.

Orton mainly won the titles as a heel, which makes him a different kind of Champion to many in WWE's history. Only a handful of times has Orton claimed a championship as a face, with fans often preferring The Viper when he plays the heel role.

Apart from World Championship victories, Orton has won the Tag Team Championships, United States Championship, and Intercontinental Championship at least once. In addition, he has won the Royal Rumble twice and the Money in the Bank Ladder match.

By comparison, John Cena never won the Intercontinental Championship, while Flair and Triple H never got their hands on the Money in the Bank briefcase during their careers.

#3 His gimmick

Who else could have Hardy trusted with this?

Another thing that sets Randy Orton apart is his gimmick. Unlike almost every other Superstar who has set foot in the WWE ring, Orton’s gimmick has primarily remained the same since his debut in WWE.

Dubbed ‘The Legend Killer,’ ‘The Apex Predator’, and ‘The Viper,’ Randy Orton has always stuck with him vicious heel gimmick whenever the need has arisen, which has catapulted him to the top of the company.

In my view, there is no doubt that there has been, nor ever will be, a heel as good as Orton, who has become one of the most feared Superstars in the entire WWE even though he’s not big and bulky like many of the company's 'big men.'

Orton’s work, mind games, and sharpness have allowed him to become a fan-favorite even while he plays a heel. Unlike John Cena, who has mostly remained a babyface in his career, Orton has never been afraid to have the crowd boo him and still love him for what he does.

We’ve seen The Legend Killer compete with three different generations and still make himself look like a top star. From Hulk Hogan to Mustafa Ali, Orton has run through generations of Superstars while keeping his original gimmick alive.

#2 He makes his opponents look better

Randy Orton is arguably one of the most gifted Superstars in the ring. The third-generation Superstar’s grandfather Bob Orton, father Bob Orton Jr., and uncle, Barry Orton, were all professional wrestlers.

However, none were remotely as successful as Orton is today, and he seems to have at least a decade of wrestling left in him.

Orton has a knack of making himself look good in the ring, whether he is competing against someone, or tearing them down on the microphone. What he does even better is to make his opponents look even better when they are competing against him.

Remember the time he allowed Brock Lesnar to bash his head open with his bare forearm at SummerSlam? The Viper sells his opponent’s moves really well, something that he must have picked up with years of experience. He is also known to be one of the safest workers in the ring, and that’s the reason why he has gotten a chance to compete with so many legends at every point in his career.

The latest example being Edge, who made his return from injury after nine long years and was straight away thrown into a rivalry with The Legend Killer. The company, and the Hall of Famer, trusted Orton enough to allow him to deliver several RKOs to Edge’s surgically repaired neck and even deliver a few Con-Chair-To which can potentially be lethal if done wrong.

Orton’s ability to work his opponents and wrestle safely sets him apart from the rest and has earned him a lot of praise from many different Superstars.

#1 He's one of a kind

No one can match The Viper's intensity

Keeping all the previous points in mind, there is one thing that is for sure, and that is that Randy Orton is truly one of a kind.

We've seen several Superstars walk into the WWE ring, and the fans believe that no one will ever be quite like them. Andre the Giant got replaced by the Big Show, who was later replaced by Braun Strowman. Roman Reigns seems to be taking John Cena's place, while Bray Wyatt's Fiend character has been compared to many legendary Superstars such as The Undertaker. Many new Mexican Superstars have even managed to show that the cruiserweight division can stay alive once Rey Mysterio retires.

However, there seems to be no replacement for Orton in sight as he is by far the most vicious and natural heel in all of sports entertainment.

Even though almost every Superstar may have a replacement waiting for them, Orton is someone who may never be replaced by anyone as he has left a legacy that cannot be replicated.

His one-of-a-kind character and work ethics will ensure that fans forever remember him even after he retires, and that truly makes him the number one guy in all of WWE.