Yesterday morning, WWE Superstar Randy Orton spoke to The Rock FM’s Morning Rumble breakfast crew. During his interview, Orton talked about what it means to be the “Legend Killer”, discussed his recent feud with The Undertaker, and shared his excitement about coming to New Zealand for the WWE SmackDown Road To WrestleMania 22 tour.
For the benefit of NZPWI readers who cannot tune in, The Rock FM has provided NZPWI with a complete transcript of the interview. Keep an eye on NZPWI for advance warning of future interviews.
To tune in to The Rock FM in your area, check out www.therock.net.nz for regional frequencies.
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Roger Farrelly: The WWE is coming to New Zealand next year in March and this man, we have been told, will be there in the ring. His name is Randy Orton. Randy, good morning.
Randy Orton: Good morning Roger. How are you doing?
Farrelly: Hey, very well. Great to talk to you, Randy.
They do call you the “Legend Killer”, because you’ve taken on some big names and you’ve beaten them – Harley Race, Sgt. Slaughter, Shawn Michaels and Cactus Jack.
Orton: Yeah, to name a few. Those names definitely are on the long list of legends I’ve defeated, sir. Yes, you’re correct.
Farrelly: And the Undertaker – you took him on, he beat you. Have you had a fight since?
Orton: Yeah, actually I’ve beaten him twice. He is no more with us, I’m sad to say. He was burnt alive.
Farrelly: What?
Orton: Yeah, he was put in a coffin. It was closed, locked shut, and he was actually doused with gasoline, and he was burned alive.
It was a tragedy that you hadn’t been there to witness it – you know, live of course – but he fell at the hands of the “Legend Killer” to say the least, Roger. [laughs]
Farrelly: [laughs] So are we expecting this sort of carry-on in Wellington in March when you’re there? Burning…
Orton: Of course, of course. We never – shoot man, when we go overseas we bring it all, man. It gets even crazier, especially in a place that we’ve never been to before. I mean, we’ve gotta turn heads, we’ve gotta leave a mark.
We have to have a buzz, you know, carrying on after we’re gone, where these people want us back.
Simon Doull: Randy, where are you off to between now and the time you come to New Zealand in March? You’ve got some other shows overseas, haven’t you?
Orton: Oh goodness, yeah. We head to Italy in about two weeks. Rome, Milan, some other cities in Italy and in Finland. And England as well.
Doull: How do you work out all the time? What’s the story?
Orton: Traveling gym… there’s a few guys that I travel with by the name of Jim.
[mass laughter]
Orton: Ahhhhhh!
Doull: Yeah, righto!
Farrelly: Very good.
Orton: You guys are quick!
No no no. No, there’s not a gym that travels with us per se. There’s – of course – in the hotels we go to, and in the cities, there’s the respected gyms there, and that’s usually where we find time to get a workout in.
Farrelly: Your whole family wrestled, didn’t they Randy?
Orton: Yeah, my father…
Farrelly: Cowboy Bob?
Orton: …his brother – my uncle, yes, yes – and his father.
Farrelly: Yes, your grandfather as well. So I guess you couldn’t really become anything else but a wrestler?
Orton: No, no, no. You know, I couldn’t be more happy in the spot that I’m in…
Doull: What’s the biggest arena you’ve played – you’ve fought in – Randy? What’s the biggest arena or biggest crowd you’ve fought in front of?
Orton: The biggest crowd was in Melbourne, Australia. 56,000 people.
Doull: 38,500 I think Wellington holds – the Westpac Stadium in Wellington. So let’s hope that New Zealanders can come along and fill that up ’cause that’d be an awesome night.
Orton: I don’t think we’ll have a problem filling that up, man. We have the greatest show on earth, by far.
Farrelly: Randy, before we go – your finishing move is called the RKO. What’s that?
Orton: It’s a form of a neckbreaker where I usually get the pinfall over my opponents if I’m able to get lucky enough and hit that move.
But I call it the RKO, which is actually a play on words. Kind of like a TKO.
Farrelly: Ah, the Randy KO.
Orton: You know what an RKO is? Yeah, well it’s actually my initials – my initials of my name, so it kindof plays well. Has a good ring to it.
Farrelly: Randy Orton, the “Legend Killer”, we look forward to seeing you in March. Been great talking to you.
Orton: You got it, sir. Thank you.
