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#3 Randy Orton
Debut: April 25, 2002
The chosen one, Randy Orton was hot property for WWE from day one. He was the son of Cowboy Bob Orton, and his third-generation pedigree was pushed hard by WWE. He debuted on SmackDown with a win against Hardcore Holly, and showed a level of finesse and suave that no one expects from a debutante. Even though his face character didn't connect, Randy went through an... Evolution.
Paired with Batista, Ric Flair and Triple H, Randy Orton was pegged to be the breakout star of the group. He did do exactly that, as he become the youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever, defeating Chris Benoit at Unforgiven 2004. He had a failed rivalry with Triple H, but the seed for his stardom was set. He never wavered from the main event again.
His career has slowed down since, as everyone is tired of his stale character, but we cannot understate what Randy has done for the WWE. There are multiple missed opportunities and an argument can be made that he has not fulfilled his potential. That doesn't mean Randy isn't one of the best WWE has ever produced, and he will always be one of the greatest of his generation.
Grade: A
