Randy Orton’s RKO has long carried a reputation as one of WWE’s most lethal finishers—and as it turns out, Vince McMahon played a key role in making sure it stayed that way.
During a recent interview with The Schmo ahead of WWE WrestleMania 42, Orton was asked to put together a “Mount Rushmore” of father-child wrestling duos.
In doing so, “The Viper” mentioned names like Rey and Dominik Mysterio, Ric and Charlotte Flair, and Dusty Rhodes with his sons.
At one point, a fan shouted out Vince and Shane McMahon.
Rather than go in that direction, Orton pivoted, choosing instead to reflect on how important McMahon was to his own career—specifically when it came to protecting the RKO.
“It’s funny because that RKO is everything,” Orton said. “Vince [McMahon] had a huge hand to play because when I would be wrestling somebody, and I was younger, they would want to kick out of my finish. Vince would pull me aside and say, ‘We’re not going to do that. We’re not going to let that happen.’ I’ll never hit a guy with three RKOs to cover him and pin him.”
Orton emphasized that keeping the move strong was always the priority.
“I’m not going to dilute my finish. That is always going to be a kill shot, and I can hit it out of nowhere. Vince has a huge part to play when it comes to my finish, and that’s a huge part of being a WWE superstar, what’s your finishing move.”
