Randy Orton says it's nice having Vince McMahon out of WWE (Exclusive)
Vince McMahon resigned from WWE's parent company, TKO, in January after being accused of sexual misconduct and trafficking by former employee Janel Grant. In an exclusive interview, WWE star Randy Orton gave his honest take on McMahon's exit.
Orton signed with WWE in 2000 and moved to the main roster two years later. He became one of McMahon's top stars over the next two decades, winning 14 world titles along the way.
Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter recently interviewed the Orton family at Bob Orton Jr.'s St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame induction. Discussing WWE's behind-the-scenes changes, The Viper admitted he prefers the new era under Triple H's leadership:
"All the opportunities he [Vince McMahon] gave me, it's nice having him out of there and it's nice having his son-in-law, Triple H, running the game. Nick Khan's great. Everybody in TKO that's come in, stepped in, they seem to get it, and it's just a different era," Orton said. [4:19 – 4:35]
The 44-year-old struggled to get time off during McMahon's regime because of how his former boss conducted business. These days, he thinks Triple H and TKO have a better understanding of how to treat staff:
"I think the way that they care for talent nowadays and make sure that talent's good, and if they need a little bit of a break, we're only human, they get it most of the time," Orton continued. [4:40 – 4:50]
Watch the video above to hear more from Orton on several topics, including the one WWE star he thinks will become a world champion.
Randy Orton on the pros and cons of working for Vince McMahon
Earlier in the interview, Randy Orton made it clear he appreciates Vince McMahon for giving him a chance to succeed at the highest level in WWE.
The SmackDown star also explained how McMahon did not take family occasions into account when certain events clashed with WWE's busy calendar:
"Off the top of my head, listen, I love Vince, he gave me so many opportunities, but I think it was kinda time for him to move on. It's unfortunate that it happened in the way that it happened, but it's nice having people in charge of me that understand how important it is for you to be home for birthdays and home for Thanksgiving and home for Christmas. Vince McMahon had RAW on Monday night live. He doesn't care if you had kids," Orton said. [3:16 – 3:51]
Orton's final match of the Vince McMahon era came in May 2022 when he and Matt Riddle lost a tag title unification match against The Usos. The former Evolution member then underwent back surgery before returning 18 months later, by which point Triple H had taken over creative responsibilities.
What do you make of WWE's behind-the-scenes changes? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Thanks to SICW promoter Herb Simmons for his assistance in making this interview happen. Follow SICW at SICW.ORG.
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