Randy Orton, a 14-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion with a successful career, recently admitted that he was unprepared for his initial World Title reign in 2004.
During the SummerSlam 2004 main event in Toronto, Canada, Orton defeated Chris Benoit, who was the reigning champion since WrestleMania XX, marking his first of 14 World Championship victories in WWE.
This win, achieved at the age of 24, established him as the youngest World Champion in WWE history. Surpassing the achievements of his father and grandfather, Orton highlighted the importance of winning the title and the emotional experience of discussing the victory with his family in a preview for his A&E Biography.
Here’s what the former ‘Legend Killer’ had to say:
“This was the culmination of all this hard work. I knew my father and my grandfather would be watching me, proud of me. Stephanie McMahon gave me her cell phone. She was like ‘Call your dad. Call your grandpa. Talk to them.’ And I’m so glad that she did.
My grandpa, he was only around for a few years after, so just hearing his voice, hearing how proud he was of me, you know, that’s a conversation I will never forget.
Same with my father, I called him next. I’d never heard my old man get choked up. Like, he’s old school to the bone. But he was choked up on the phone that night. So it was a special night.”
The Viper reflected about the pressure and not being prepared for his first run with a major World Title:
“It’s hard to describe the feeling of the responsibility, the amount of awesomeness that comes with holding that belt. I had the title but I didn’t have the maturity. I definitely was not ready.
I’m really just sitting on top of the world. I’m making a lot of money for someone my age and I’m living the dream. And I am a cocky son of a b*tch.”
After successfully defending his title against Benoit on RAW, Orton experienced betrayal from Evolution when Triple H aimed to reclaim the World Heavyweight Championship.
This betrayal led to Orton’s transition to a babyface character, but he eventually lost the championship to Triple H the next month at the WWE Unforgiven 2004 PPV.
Despite the setback, Orton would later establish himself as a legendary figure in the wrestling industry, and of course a future WWE Hall of Famer.
New Video: Randy Orton Grabs His Wife’s Knockers On RAW:
