Ex-WWE star details conversation he had with Randy Orton
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder" has never been a more apt statement for WWE Superstar Randy Orton. The Legend Killer has not been seen on television for over a year now, and even his critics are seemingly hoping to see him back. The Viper has left an irreplaceable void on the WWE main roster.
Matt Hardy recently discussed the conversation he had with The Viper on his podcast, The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy.
According to the current AEW star, Randy Orton repeatedly reminded Hardy that after hitting the RKO on his opponents for years, it ultimately took a toll on him. This led to Hardy making consistent efforts to improve his balance training:
"But I’ve been doing balance training because just like, I had a long conversation with Randy Orton. He was talking about how messed up his body was just from doing the RKO over and over and over again and you know," Hardy recalled. [H/T: POST Wrestling]
The Attitude Era star further continued:
"I told him, ‘You can only imagine how my hips and lower back feel after all those leg drops over all the years’ but he was just talking about how bad his balance was, that he didn’t realize and that kind of got me thinking and I’ve done more balance training than anything else recently and I feel like it’s helped me on my movement and whatnot and hopefully my flexibility."
In honor of the 20-year anniversary of the first RKO, look back at the 20 BEST ones from @RandyOrton! https://t.co/yoi02rknnu
Matt Hardy believes the 14-time WWE World Champion is one of the best storytellers
Randy Orton's career began in 2002 after being called up from OVW. He was immediately plunged into a main storyline involving legends such as Triple H and Ric Flair, along with then-up-and-comer Batista.
Being a third-generation superstar, Orton was born into a family of legendary names such as Bob Orton, Sr., "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jr., and Barry Orton.
Despite some hiccups along the way, The Viper consistently delivered when it came to in-ring performances and remarkable feuds over the years against the likes of The Undertaker, Triple H, and John Cena, to name a few.
Known for his longevity in WWE, he never missed a beat when it came to the younger stars as well. Some of his most memorable recent storylines include against Drew McIntyre during the pandemic and his run in the tag team division as RK-Bro alongside Matt Riddle.
Matt Hardy praises Randy Orton’s storytelling and wrestling abilities 💯 https://t.co/NahWewQaUF
Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal recently detailed how his world title win over Randy Orton impacted his career.
You can read more about fans reacting to a current champion's goading on Twitter, with some claiming he is the "new legend killer," while others wanting The Viper to return and take him down, here.