5 reasons why Randy Orton is the real GOAT in WWE

A lot of names get thrown around when fans talk about the greatest wrestler of all time in WWE and believe it or not, Randy Orton is seldom involved in those discussions. While one can argue he was never the top guy in the company, or their most charismatic Superstar, he has always been a cornerstone of the company.

Beyond that, he has always been there, has always been willing to put over other talent and has records that are unmatched by most of the roster today. With the debate of who is the greatest wrestler of all time coming up in conversations yet again, here are five reasons that moniker belongs to Randy Orton.

As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to tell if you think Orton deserves this distinction or not.

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#5. Randy Orton's ability on the microphone

Believe it or not, Randy Orton never turned his back on WWE.

While Superstars like CM Punk, Paul Heyman and Hulk Hogan are always argued as having the best microphone skills in the business, Randy Orton doesn't get mentioned in that conversation nearly enough. Maybe that's due to him never cutting a "pipe bomb"-like promo, but it's not really about that.

Randy Orton has always delivered excellent promos and while he might not have one that particularly stands out on his resume, he was always the most consistent. In fact, he always seemed to know how to either get fans to cheer for him or hate his every move.

This is a crucial ability to have as a WWE Superstar and really helps separate Randy Orton from the rest of the WWE roster. It is also what makes him one of the most must-see Superstars every week on television due to the fact that we never know what he might say next.

#4. Randy Orton's willingness to put over other talent

Randy Orton was always more than willing to put over other talent in WWE.

John Cena might get a lot of credit for being the face of WWE and even for deciding who the future of the company would be, but it was Randy Orton who was more willing to put over other talent. Between using backstage politics to hold others down and having a stranglehold on the company for years, Cena wasn't exactly one to give up his spot.

Compare that to Randy Orton, however, who put over the likes of Kofi Kingston, Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins and several others, and a different picture emerges. Now, this doesn't mean Orton didn't play politics himself or hold others down at times, but he was seemingly much more willing to focus on the future than other top-tier Superstars.

In the end, that's what makes Randy Orton such a great talent. It's his willingness and ability to make future talents shine like diamonds. Everyone knows that a win against Randy Orton means something in today's WWE and while Cena was frugal with his star power, Orton seems more than willing to set up the future.

#3. Randy Orton is universally respected

Love him or hate him, Randy Orton is the greatest of all time in WWE.

Believe it or not, Randy Orton is one of the most universally respected Superstars in WWE and that's not by accident. Between his nearly two decades of service in the company and how he has become a measuring sticks of sorts to younger talent, he is one of the most respected veterans in the business.

In all honesty, fans may love him or they may hate him, but they cannot deny that he's worthy of respect. Furthermore, those that don't respect him are eventually forced to acknowledge it once they see his work ethic

Randy Orton is the most respected man in WWE and there is no one in this generation or really any other that can top him. Furthermore, he is probably the most respected modern-day veteran in the locker room, which is something that a lot of people overlook when they think of him.

#2. Randy Orton having success despite not being the top guy

Randy Orton has had so much success without ever being WWE's top guy.

It's no secret that Randy Orton has never been WWE's chosen guy and while he was always "the guy who wrestled the guy," he was never the face of the company. Of course he had several friends backstage to make sure that he always had a top role in the company, but one could argue he was never at its very peak.

However, Orton has quite the remarkable record for someone who was never considered the face of the company and has amassed 13 world titles in the process. He is also a former Tag Team Champion, a former Intercontinental Champion and was even an Undisputed Champion at one point.

If nothing else, Orton's success despite not being a top guy is a testament to exactly what he is capable of accomplishing. Sure, he might never have been the face on the posters like John Cena, or giving interviews on Good Morning America, but he arguably has one of the best records in the entire company

#1 Randy Orton has a seamless ability to be a heel or a babyface

Randy Orton has the rare ability to play a heel and a babyface brilliantly.

If there is one true test of a Superstar's staying power in WWE, it would have to be their ability to play the role of both a heel and a babyface. While a select group of Superstars are able to do this seamlessly and an even smaller group are able to somewhat do this, there are some that don't have the gift at all. That's not the case for Randy Orton.

In fact, some WWE Superstars are outright charisma vacuums and unable to relate to the audience in any meaningful way and cannot get fans to feel strongly about them. Fortunately for Randy Orton, however, he has never had this problem in his storied career.

In the end, Randy Orton is that special kind of Superstar, the kind who can play the heel, the babyface, or even the antihero when the time calls for it. This puts him on another level entirely when it comes to the upper tier of WWE Superstars and should be proof of his abilities.