"He's not just the son of another wrestler"- Current WWE Superstar on what solidified Randy Orton as a star
WWE Superstar Riddle recently revealed that Randy Orton vs. Mick Foley at Backlash 2004 is one of his favorite matches.
In one of the most brutal matches in WWE history, The Legend Killer defended his Intercontinental Championship against Mick Foley’s 'Cactus Jack' persona. The bout was vicious as Foley took Orton to his limits, defining the Ruthless Aggression era in many ways. The Viper retained his title after he RKO'd Foley onto a barbed wire baseball bat.
Speaking about his favorite memory of Randy Orton on this week's The Bump, Riddle stated that the bout cemented The Viper, who was a young third-generation star at the time, as someone more than just the son of another wrestler:
"One match that stands out in particular and I think it was the match in which he really did a lot. The match that really solidified him for me was the match against Mick Foley. That No-Holds-Barred match where he went for the RKO, got pushed on the tacks, got thrown off the stage and everything and still overcame the odds and still won the match. I think that was the big one for me where I was like, 'This guy could do it all. He's not just the son of another wrestler, this guy gets it.'" (from 34:27 to 35:10)
WWE Legend Mick Foley claimed that his match against Randy Orton was the best match of his career
The No-Holds-Barred match between Randy Orton and Mick Foley completed its 18th anniversary on April 18th. The Hall of Famer shared a few posts on social media to celebrate the milestone, calling it his “favorite match.”
Check out Foley's tweet below:
18 YEARS AGO TODAY!
#BACKLASH vs @RandyOrton
My favorite match. https://t.co/N6DpkG9PnF
The hardcore match was built for half a year, with Evolution attacking the hardcore legend on numerous occasions as part of his Legend Killer gimmick.
The duo also collided in a massive 2-on-3 Handicap match at WrestleMania 20, with the team of The Rock and Mick Foley taking on Evolution’s Randy Orton, Ric Flair, and Batista.
The rivalry between the two greats culminated in the match at Backlash. Not only did Orton win, but Foley also did a great job of putting his opponent over in one of the best matches for the Intercontinental Championship.
If you use any quotes from the article, please credit WWE's The Bump with H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription!