WWE News: Proof that "Cowboy" Bob Orton used the RKO 16 years before Randy
What’s the story?
Brad Stutts (@Stuttsy) on Twitter posted a rather interesting GIF earlier today. It shows “Cowboy” Bob Orton delivering an RKO to Don Muraco at a WWE event in 1987.
In case you didn’t know...
Bob made his professional wrestling debut in 1972 and technically is not considered as retired at age 66. While he has won many championships in his career, he has never held a single title with the WWE (then WWF). He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2005.
The heart of the matter...
Check out the tweet containing the GIF below:
Unlike his son’s, this “RKO” really didn’t come out of nowhere. To be honest, Bob wasn’t known for his speed and agility.
The interesting thing about this GIF is that Orton and Muraco were tag team partners in the WWE (then WWF) before they had a falling out in the fall of 1987. The feud started when Orton accused Muraco of stealing his move, the Superplex.
A few months later Orton would leave the WWE to join the AWA, followed by All Japan Pro Wrestling.
What’s next?
Bob’s last recorded match was in 2015, so it doesn’t look like there’s anything on the horizon for him. There is always the chance that he makes a cameo return to the WWE at any time and join Randy in a feud.
Author’s take...
This was a really good find by Brad and thanks to him for sharing the GIF on Twitter. Legend has it that Diamond Dallas Page was the one who suggested to Randy to use the RKO, but one has to wonder if his father showed him how to apply it.