Since his last match on the May 20, 2022 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Randy Orton, an iconic figure in the world of professional wrestling, has been absent from the ring for over a year. As of this writing, there are reports suggesting that doctors have advised Orton to refrain from wrestling, a claim supported by his father, the renowned ‘Cowboy’ Bob Orton Jr., who stated this belief in May 2023. This revelation adds a layer of intrigue surrounding Orton’s prolonged absence from the squared circle.
During a recent episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, the topic of conversation shifted to the highly anticipated clash between The Hardys and The Young Bucks at AEW Double or Nothing 2022. Matt Hardy, one-half of The Hardys, was asked about the physical changes in their bodies since their previous encounter with The Bucks in 2017.
In response, Matt shared insights into his ongoing efforts to improve his balance and overall physical condition. He went on to reveal an intriguing conversation he had with Randy Orton, shedding light on the toll that continuously performing the RKO finisher had taken on Orton’s body.
Matt acknowledged the inevitability of change as one grows older, highlighting the need to adapt to keep the body in optimal condition. To that end, he has been focused on constantly evolving his training regimen. In an unexpected twist, Matt disclosed that he had engaged in a lengthy conversation with Randy Orton, during which Orton opened up about the adverse effects the RKO had on his body.
With a touch of humor, Matt pointed out that, although his own body had endured considerable strain due to years of executing leg drops, he could empathize with Randy’s plight. Randy’s candid remarks about the negative impact on his balance struck a chord with Matt, prompting him to reevaluate his own training routine. As a result, Matt has been prioritizing balance training, which he believes has had a positive impact on his movement and flexibility.
Yes, it has, it has (our bodies changed between ROH Ladder match in 2017 & Double or Nothing 2022 versus Young Bucks) and there’s some things… Once again, it’s very weird, as you get older, it’s just like you have to change things to keep your body in a certain condition and I’m constantly in a process of changing things. I actually had a lot of people that complimented the stuff at Double or Nothing and I’ve been doing a lot of balance training, as crazy as that sounds. But I’ve been doing balance training because just like, I had a long conversation with Randy Orton. He was talking about how messed up his body was just from doing the RKO over and over and over again and you know, I told him, ‘You can only imagine how my hips and lower back feel after all those leg drops over all the years’ but he was just talking about how bad his balance was, that he didn’t realize and that kind of got me thinking and I’ve done more balance training than anything else recently and I feel like it’s helped me on my movement and whatnot and hopefully my flexibility.
Randy Orton’s remarkable career spans an impressive 23 years in WWE, solidifying his status as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the company’s history. With a record-breaking 14 World Championship titles under his belt, Orton has cemented his place as a true legend of the sport.
