Randy Orton has hit the RKO on just about everyone the wrestling world has to offer, but one major name has eluded him, and he wants to fix that.
The Viper appeared at WWE World on Saturday for an on-stage interview with combat sports journalist and YouTube personality The Schmo just hours before his Night 1 main event against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42. When asked who, dead or alive, he would most want to drop with his signature finisher, Orton went with a name that would move the needle beyond anyone else.
Orton Wants To Add The Rock To The List
Orton noted that he has RKO'd a wide range of targets across his career, from 90-year-old fans to female talent to celebrities like Mark Cuban and the late Meat Loaf. One name still missing from the list stands above the rest.
"I've RKO'd everybody, but I haven't RKO'd The Rock, and if for some reason... Rock would be at the top, for sure," Orton said.
The answer fits a pattern Orton has leaned into lately. Earlier this year, he publicly invited Tom Brady to take an RKO after the NFL legend called pro wrestling "cute and scripted," telling Brady to call Pat McAfee to set it up.
A Dream Scenario With WrestleMania Proximity
Orton and The Rock have shared remarkably little screen time across their overlapping WWE runs, which has only fueled fan interest in the idea of a confrontation. The Rock has also been a recurring presence in Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania stories the last two years, giving any Orton and Rock moment a built-in storyline foundation if WWE ever chose to pull the trigger.
The Final Boss is not advertised for WrestleMania 42, though sportsbooks are still listing a Rock appearance as a live prop bet at +500. Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton in the Night 1 main event on Saturday, April 18 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with Pat McAfee in Orton's corner after weeks of storyline buildup.
In a business where "never say never" continues to age well, an RKO to The Rock remains one of the few outta-nowhere moments Orton has yet to deliver.
