Randy Orton went into the severe back injury that sidelined him for over a year-and-a-half during his recent appearance on Impaulsive, the podcast hosted by WWE United States Champion Logan Paul.
The toll of a two-decade career in WWE caught up with Orton in 2022, necessitating double fusion back surgery. His ability to continue wrestling despite the excruciating daily pain was remarkable. Orton detailed his struggles:
“I mean, I couldn’t stand for more than a couple minutes without having pain shoot down my legs. When I would sit, I had a disc that was slipping every time I would bend. So, you know, on a plane, sitting here, my feet would go numb, and I’d have pain shooting down my legs.”
Acknowledging his RK-Bro tag team partner, Matt Riddle, Orton credited Riddle for carrying much of the physical load during their time together:
“That last year before I had to leave because of the back, I was in a tag team with former WWE Superstar Matt Riddle, and I got to give him props because that year we tagged together, I was not able to be in that ring unless I was in there with someone like him because he was able to take the brunt of the physicality.
Randy Orton (Credits: WWE)
He’d tag me at the end, I’d come in, I’d do my shit, and if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have made it that far.”
Now 43, Orton remains committed to wrestling for as long as possible, feeling blessed and grateful to his doctors for guiding his recovery. Alongside aiming for more accomplishments before retirement, Orton finds fulfillment in mentoring the next generation of wrestlers.
Reflecting on his past, Orton discussed a period in his career marked by unprofessional behavior towards others. During his collaboration with A&E on a documentary, Orton was taken aback upon reviewing footage of his behavior:
“I’ve seen some of this footage from 10, 15 years ago, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ Like, that’s horrible. But that’s just kind of who I was.”
Beyond his injury and career insights, Orton also shared thoughts on modern parenting in the age of technology, the evolution of the RKO, and the enduring popularity of his finishing move.
