Triple H to replace Austin, Randy Orton interview, and more
    Submitted by William Martinez on Sunday, June 16, 2002 at 11:13 PM EST

  • Triple H will be replacing Steve Austin at upcoming WWE house shows in Washington DC and New York City. Austin was originally supposed to team with Hulk Hogan to face Ric Flair and Eddie Guerrero at those shows. Instead, in what is being billed as a "Smackdown! vs. Raw" tag match, Triple H will team with Hogan to face The Big Show and The Undertaker.

    Credit: PWTorch.com



  • KMOL San Antonio article:
    Stone Cold Steve Austin Allegedly Attacked Wife

    Credit: KMOL.com



    Aaron "Lurch" Wilson sent in the following:

    Interview with Randy Orton

    Aaron Wilson: I'd like to welcome my guest, he has been a part of the wrestling business for 22 years, his entire life, current WWE Third Generation Superstar Randy Orton, Randy how are you today?

    Randy Orton: Good. How are you doing man?

    Aaron Wilson: I'm doing alright. It's been well documented that you are the son of Cowboy Bob Orton Jr. and Grandson of Bob Orton Sr. and that you've basically grown up in the wrestling business. Was there ever a point in your life where you didn't think you'd end up being a professional wrestler?

    Randy Orton: Yeah, Aaron. When I was younger, people would ask my mom or my dad, if I was going to follow in his dad's footsteps? And they'd always say no, because they really didn't want me in it, with my mom always being home alone and my dad was gone all the time. She didn't want that for me, with my family. But what I've decided to do is put off any kind of family life and do this. But for the most part growing up, I didn't think I'd end up being a wrestler.

    Aaron Wilson: Besides your Father and Grandfather, who has been the most influential person to your career thus far?

    Randy Orton: I'd say a lot of the wrestlers in OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) because that's who I basically learned from. And it's not so much learning moves and highspots, and everything like that, but psychology, which is something that a lot of guys don't have. It is taught very well in OVW, people like Jim Cornette, Danny Davis, Dinsmore, Conway, Jason Lee, Flash, Damaja, Doug Basham, they all know such good psychology because they've learned that Old School mentality and learning from all of those guys down there is what I think did me the best.

    Aaron Wilson: My next question was actually about Ohio Valley Wrestling. You've spent the bulk of your professional wrestling career in Ohio Valley Wrestling, can you share your experiences with that promotion with the rest of us?

    Randy Orton: Yeah, it's like the Marine Corps, they say it's a band of brothers like you're a part of a big family and that's what i felt like. It's not like that, as a lot of people know in the locker rooms (in many promotions), but with WWE it's the same, everyone really gets along. Now I'm on the Smackdown! side, I don't know about the RAW side. But as far as the Smackdown! side goes, we all get along. You've got guys playing cards, telling jokes, you know, just talking, and everyone gets along. But at OVW it was like that for sure, you could trust everybody. Everyone wanted everyone to succeed.

    Aaron Wilson: Besides the size of the promotion, what do you think the main difference between OVW and WWE is from a pure wrestling standpoint?

    Randy Orton: Well OVW is very old school there is a lot more comedy, and they're more house show oriented. You know, like you work at a hold, or work at a body part; where as in WWF, or WWE I'm sorry, their house shows are a lot more laid back but even then the speed is quicker. It's all up a notch. And the TV is just nuts. I had a match where it was me and Val (Venis) against Lance (Storm) and Bob (Holly) on TV, and we had five minutes for four entrances, a V-Roll, which is something on the Titantron, and then the match. So we were in the ring for like two and a half minutes, which just gives you an idea of how you really have to bump of the pace. When you have a tag match with an in ring time of two and a half to three minutes you can't really tell a story, so I think that's the biggest difference, the time of the matches and the speed of the matches.

    Aaron Wilson: Although you were trained in OVW you really never were able to train for long hours on the road, do you feel you've adjusted well to that aspect of this business?

    Randy Orton: What do you mean, as far as travelling so much, where as Louisville I didn't?

    Aaron Wilson: Exactly, the wear and tear of the road.

    Randy Orton: Okay, yeah. It's definitely tiring. Just last night I only got three and a half hours of sleep actually, you know I'm pretty tired right now. You're always tired, but you learn to adapt to it and it doesn't get as bad, you know. The hardest thing I think, is getting to the gym and eating properly. A lot of times the only thing open is a Denny's or a Waffle House at night, and you're living it there. But if you don't eat you can't grow.

    Aaron Wilson: When did you start training to become a professional wrestler, and can you tell me a bit about that?

    Randy Orton: I started when I was 19, I decided I was going to do it, and my dad had a buddy, that had worked a few WCW shows and did some jobs for them, his name is Ron Powers and my dad called him up and they took me downtown to St. Louis. There was a small independent organization down there and they had a ring, and a few guys got in the ring with me and they taught me how to lock up and my dad got in there and taught me chain wrestling and everything. I had six matches over a six months period of time down there and that is when I got signed with the WWF, when I was 19.

    Aaron Wilson: You wrestled quite a bit in High School, can you tell me a bit about that?

    Randy Orton: Yeah, I wrestled my junior and senior year, and wrestled through the fourth through the eighth grade as well, and I was never great, but I held my own. My Senior and Junior year I qualified for state, and I think my record was like 37-6 my senior year, so I did ok. But I never placed in state or anything like that.

    Aaron Wilson: What is your most memorable wrestling experience growing up as a kid?

    Randy Orton: Man, I've got so many of them. I remember a lot of times the guys coming over when they were in town, my mom would cook for them. I remember guys like Greg Valentine, Andre the Giant, Roddy Piper, Don Muraco and Mr. Fuji, they'd be over a lot, because my dad hung around those guys a lot. I remember one instance we had a banister going down the stairs in the basement of our condo, where we lived, where the guys would always come over and eat and Andre went downstairs, leaned against the banister and broke it in two. We just roped it up, and it was roped up for like eight years. That was pretty Funny. (Laughs) No one would believe it when they'd see it, we'd tell the story and they'd be like yeah whatever. (Laughs)

    Aaron Wilson: What is it like being the "new guy" in WWE and do you feel you're getting along good with the others?

    Randy Orton: Yeah, like I said, everyone gets along real well. You know, the ribs are expected but they're all harmless, you know. Nothing bad has happened. All of the guys are there for me for advice and they all treat me well. But being new at anything you're going to do is difficult, whether it's at school or a job, a new kid in town, whatever it may be; the wrestling business I guess is a little bit different. I've adapted well, and I believe that everyone's been pretty suceptable to me.

    Aaron Wilson: At the age of 22 do you feel that you're looked down upon by some of the people who have been in this business for years?

    Randy Orton: Well I think there's a lot of emotional heat. For instance when I went to OVW I didn't really know how to run a highspot, I didn't know much. I just had, like I said six matches within six months time. When I went down there, you would have guys that have been doing this for six, seven, eight, nine, ten years and they didn't' even have a developmental contract. They were still working a job, supporting their family and trying to do this, and here comes this kid who just turned 20. They think, well daddy called the office and go this kid a contract, and it was hard, but if I was in their shoes I'd feel the same way. But what I did was use that as motivation and I hit the gym, did my cardio, watched tapes, that's all I did for a year in a half at OVW and I proved that I wanted it and got the respect eventually.

    Aaron Wilson: Ever gotten a chance to speak with the Rock about being a fellow Third Generation Superstar?

    Randy Orton: Yeah, a few times actually. He always jokes around when he sees me and tells me to tell my dad to watch out, he's going to get his dad to beat my dad up. Or, who won more your dad or mine? He's a good guy, he's real humble and a real class act. He's always been there for advice, he'd see one of my matches here and there, and give me advice on what to do better and what I did good. He's definitely a cool individual.

    Aaron Wilson: What has been your biggest challenge thus far in your career?

    Randy Orton: I'd say when I hurt my shoulder, the mental challenge was the toughest, because I didn't know how bad it was then. They thought I had dislocated my rotator cuff, which was like six to nine months automatically out, which it obviously wasn't that bad. I remember that day when I hurt it, was the same day that I asked Jim Ross at a meeting with him, about moving back to St. Louis, which is a big step, leaving the developmental territory and moving home for good. He had ok'd it and that same day I hurt my shoulder. I had so many things going through my mind: I didn't know if I was going to be able to go back home, or if they were going to send me home while I healed, so that was the toughest part I'd say.

    Aaron Wilson: Having a strong wrestling family background, do you ever feel the pressure of trying to live up to the legacy of your father or Grandfather?

    Randy Orton: Actually, not at all because, I know a lot of guys say that about guys like me and other third generation wrestlers. I'm friends with David Flair, you know, If Ric Flair is your dad, you're following some big footsteps, those are pretty big shoes to fill. Obviously the popularity of my father and Ric Flair wasn't the same and I don't get it as bad as David, but it's still there a little bit, but I don't let it bother me. You know, no one brings it up, it's not like it's sitting in the back of my head, I just go out there and do what I do.

    Aaron Wilson: How does it feel to be wrestling for the Undisputed Title so early in your career?

    Randy Orton: Well I think it was more, not so much that as it was obvious the outcome of the match, but just being in there with Undertaker. That guy, what can I say, that was an awesome experience and he did a lot for me in that match. He took a backdrop from me, he let me bump him around and it could have just been a squash, he could have chosen to go out there and just completely, kick my ass but he didn't, and that helped me out a lot, this early in my career, being able to go toe to toe with the Undertaker for a few seconds at least, that's definitely going to be one of my most memorable matches that I'll have for a long time.

    Aaron Wilson: Speaking of going toe to toe with big named wrestlers, as a kid you posed with Hulk Hogan in a backstage picture wearing your Hulkamania attire, any hope of now being able to wrestle the man you once idolized?

    Randy Orton: Well I was in the Battle Royal with him last Smackdown!, last week and everyone was like, yeah as soon as the bell rings everyone is going to run to Hulk. They just want to get a few hits on him, maybe trade a few punches with Hulk Hogan. I didn't, because I don't think I have the balls to (Laughs). But definitely just being in there with him and thinking one day, maybe being able to wrestle with him, or have him on my side, that'd be awesome. I want to take that picture I have of me and him and get it signed, I'm kind of hesitant right now. Maybe another picture is in the works, but it's definitely cool to see him in the locker room with the boys.

    Aaron Wilson: What is your greatest OVW moment?

    Randy Orton: When I wrestled Rico at the "Last Dance" when my father was in my corner. That was definitely my favorite OVW experience. Being in there with my dad. Me and Rico had a hell of a match. That's definitely my best OVW moment.

    Aaron Wilson: It's recently been announced that you will be returning to Ohio Valley Wrestling to team up with Rico Costantino in a match against Damaja and Doug Basham, any comments on that return?

    Randy Orton: Yeah (Laughs). Well me and Rico don't really see eye to eye up here in the WWE (Laughs), but we're going to join sides and go down there and take care of the Revolution once and for all. (Laughs)

    Aaron Wilson: Thanks a lot Randy. Any final comments?

    Randy Orton: No, but thank you very much for being patient with me.

    To hear the audio version of this interview, head over to my site at: www.AaronLurchWilson.8m.com

    Other feature interviews include Alan Funk, Elix Skipper, Kenny Bolin, and Derrick King!

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