Why Randy Orton is one of the all-time greats in WWE

Ever since first breaking on to the WWE scene in 2002, Randy Orton, a third-generation Superstar, has seemingly been on a one-man mission to go down in history as one of the greatest of all time.

He has achieved everything there is to do in WWE and is surely nailed on to be a future Hall of Famer.

It all started for Orton as 'The Legend Killer', a brash cocky upstart, intent on defeating some of the greatest names in the history of wrestling.

He would become part of Triple H's Evolution during this time and would win his first major belt during his time in the company when he beat Rob Van Dam to become Intercontinental Champion, a title he would go on to hold for the next seven months.

The first way to define the success of a wrestler's career is to look at the belts they have won and Orton has spent the best part of two decades winning everything there is to offer.

Ever since becoming the youngest WWE World Champion in history (a record Orton still holds) after beating Chris Benoit at Summerslam in 2004, Orton has gone on to wrack up an impressive 13 world title reigns.

In WWE history, Orton is now fourth in the all time list. He's ahead of the great Hulk Hogan, who has 12 to his name, but is behind Triple H who has 14, and Ric Flair and John Cena who are tied on 16. At just 39 years of age, it would be unusual if Orton doesn't add to that tally in the coming years.

Orton has also won the Intercontinental and United States Championship and is a two-time tag team champion, once with Edge and once with Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper, making Orton a Triple Crown and Grand Slam champion.

Evidence of his greatness is also present in other areas of his long list of honours. He is one of only seven men to win multiple Royal Rumbles having won the 30-man event in 2009 and 2017.

He is also a former Money in the Bank winner (2013) and headlined Wrestlemania 25 and Wrestlemania 30. Orton has also been part of some of the biggest factions in the history of the company. He began his career in the dominant era of Evolution alongside Triple H, Batista and Ric Flair.

The group swept all before them, at one stage holding the World Heavyweight title, Intercontinental Championship and Tag Team Championship. Orton would leave the group after winning his first world championship, when Triple H, Batista and Flair turned on the young prodigy.

He would then enjoy a short spell teamed up with fellow WWE great Edge as part of Rated RKO, which would see Orton become tag team champion for the first time in his career.

Next, he would be leader of Legacy, a collection of wrestlers with a rich wrestling history alongside Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes. With those two young superstars in his corner, Orton would enjoy one of the most successful spells in his career, winning three WWE Championships and his first Royal Rumble.

Most recently he would somewhat bizarrely become part of the Wyatt Family. After winning a tag team title, Orton would win the second Royal Rumble of his career as part of the group, eventually turning on Bray Wyatt and challenging him for his WWE title which he would win in an underwhelming match at Wrestlemania 33.

Orton also has one of the best finishers in the WWE. The dramatic athleticism of the RKO has seen him become an internet favourite and it remains one of the most devastating manoeuvres in the WWE.

Despite various turns as a heel and a face Orton, has always found himself a firm fan favourite, a status that has eluded superstars of the calibre of John Cena and Roman Reigns.

He deserves that adulation for a career that has surpassed all expectations. It remains to be seen what glory awaits Orton during the final chapters of his wrestling life.