Randy Orton, one of the biggest pro wrestling stars of the 21st century so far, has yet to be inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (WON HOF).
Getting inducted into the WON HOF is not easy at all. A candidate needs to receive at least 60% of the votes to get in. Randy Orton peaked at 35% in 2018.
Voters should vote based on the following criteria:
“The criteria for the Hall of Fame is a combination of drawing power, being a great in-ring performer or excelling in one’s field in pro wrestling, as well as having historical significance in a positive manner. A candidate should either have something to offer in all three categories, or be someone so outstanding in one or two of those categories that they deserve inclusion. Longevity should be a prime consideration rather than a hot two- or three-year run, unless someone is so significant as a trend-setter or a historical figure in the business, or valuable to the industry, that they need to be included. However, just longevity without being either a long-term main eventer, a top draw and/or a top caliber in-ring performer should be seen as relatively meaningless.”
Good thing for Orton, his WON Hall of Fame case isn’t built on a hot two-year run. It is built on something that’s pretty close to the criteria: more than two decades as a main-event star and a multi-year period as a legitimate draw on top.
Randy Orton’s Drawing Power
I decided to separate the drawing power into three subcategories: PPV buys, headlining 10k+ shows, and TV numbers.
In terms of PPV buys, Orton was a legitimate draw on top for WWE from Backlash 2004 until 2009. Rich Kraetsch’s study showed that the PPVs that had Orton as a headliner managed to draw higher on average than those that didn’t feature him in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008.
That’s a nice stat, but you know what makes a stat impressive? If very few have been able to achieve it. So, I conducted the same study for other top wrestlers from WWE, AEW, and WCW.
Like Rich Kraetsch, I excluded WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam because those PPVs usually drew way higher than WWE’s average, and including them skews the study. To make the methodology more objective, I also excluded multi-man championship matches in which the wrestler being studied was one of several challengers. When multiple challengers are involved, I don’t think it’s possible to fairly determine how much of the match’s drawing power can be attributed to any one wrestler. Furthermore, the difference between the two averages should be more than 10k.
Here are the results: PPV Outdrawing
The following wrestlers have been able to outdraw their competition during a calendar year for two or more calendar years in terms of PPV buys:
9:
- Hulk Hogan (1993- ‘99, 2002, 2003)
6:
- HHH (2001, 2003- ‘06, 2013)
4:
- CM Punk (2013, 2021- ’23)
- Randy Orton (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)
- Ric Flair (1990, 1991, 1994, 1999)
- The Rock (1998-’00, 2003): The Rock also outdrew others in 2011 and 2013, but in those years, he was one of the biggest actors in Hollywood.
- Sting (1989, 1991, 1997, 2024)
- Steve Austin (1996, 1999, 2000, 2002)
- Undertaker (1994, 1998, 1999, 2005)
3:
- Batista (2005, 2006, 2010)
- Brock Lesnar (2004, 2012, 2013)
- Edge (2006, 2010, 2011)
- John Cena (2006, 2008, 2013)
- Mick Foley (1998, 1999, 2004)
- MJF (2022- ’24)
2: Adam Cole, Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Diesel, Shawn Michaels
All the wrestlers on the list with four or more years are in the WON HOF, except Orton.
Obviously, the purpose of this study is not to compare wrestlers from different eras, but to compare a wrestler to his contemporaries.
Now that we are done with the study, let’s dive into some of the PPVs headlined by Orton that drew extremely well:
WWE Armageddon 2005: The main event of this event was the blow-off match of the very long Undertaker/Randy Orton feud. With no world championship matches or any other important bouts on the card, this event drew 320k buys. This was a 40% increase over Armageddon 2004 and the highest-buying SmackDown-exclusive PPV since Vengeance 2003. No December PPV after this one came close to outdrawing it.
WWE SummerSlam 2007: 545k buys for the first-ever singles match between John Cena and Randy Orton on PPV. While it’s only slightly above SummerSlam 2006, the context makes this number stand out. The top five matches at SummerSlam 2006 were John Cena/Edge for the WWE Championship, DX/The McMahons, Ric Flair/Mick Foley (I Quit match), Hulk Hogan/Randy Orton and Batista/Booker T for the World Heavyweight Championship. The second- and third-biggest matches at WWE SummerSlam 2007 were Batista/The Great Khali and HHH/Booker T, so Cena/Orton was clearly the match that the card was built around. No SummerSlam event after this one came close to outdrawing it.
WWE No Mercy 2007: 271k buys for a Last Man Standing match between John Cena and Randy Orton that didn’t take place, because Cena got injured five days before the show and Orton ended up wrestling HHH for the WWE Championship twice on the same night. The second-biggest match on the show was the most anticipated rematch of all time between Batista and The Great Khali. This was up 38% from the previous year’s event and the highest among 2007’s B-shows. The only October PPV to outdraw this one during the following years was Hell in a Cell 2009, which also involved a championship match between Orton and Cena (283k).
WWE No Way Out 2008: Yet another Orton/Cena match that drew big. It drew a massive 365k buys when John Cena chose to challenge Orton at No Way Out ’08 instead of waiting until WrestleMania. The second-biggest match on the card was a #1 contender’s Elimination Chamber match for Orton’s belt. This show saw a staggering 78% increase over the previous year’s event and the biggest February PPV since No Way Out 2003. Not only did a February show never come close to outdrawing it later, but No Way Out 2008 also remains the last B-show to draw more than 300k.
One could argue that Orton was Cena’s most successful rival from a business standpoint (excluding Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, of course).
The last three WWE PPVs to see a 30% increase in buys over the previous year were WWE No Way Out 2008, WWE No Mercy 2007, and WWE Armageddon 2005, all headlined by Orton.
WWE WrestleMania 25: WrestleMania draws mostly on its own. Some WrestleMania shows do better business than others, though. Going into WrestleMania 25, Orton was the hottest act on the roster. His feud with the McMahons and HHH was drawing massive numbers on TV and it was arguably the only well-built match on this relatively underwhelming WrestleMania card. WrestleMania 25 drew 975k, which is a good number when you compare the card with those of previous WrestleMania events. This show broke the all-time professional wrestling gate record, previously set by Antonio Inoki vs. Don Frye in 1998.
It is tempting to attribute much of WrestleMania 25’s success to Michaels/Undertaker because the match became an all-time classic. However, the buildup to Orton/HHH was the show’s focal point. To see how well a WrestleMania headlined by a well-built Michaels/Undertaker match did, check out WrestleMania 26’s buys: 886k.
[All the PPV buys and percentages were taken from the spreadsheets made by Adam Berger for his article determining the biggest PPV draws]
*I added the data for the AEW PPVs that took place after Berger’s article until the end of 2025.
Now, let’s go to the second subcategory: headlining shows that drew 10k+ crowds. Orton ranks 22nd on Dave Meltzer’s list of the biggest draws of all time, which was updated in January of 2026. All the wrestlers above him are in the Hall of Fame except… Seth Rollins. Since the publication of that list, Orton has main evented multiple 10k+ shows, including a WrestleMania that drew 47k+.
Orton also ranked 8th on Dave Meltzer’s 2011 list of the biggest draws of the 2000s, which was also based on headlining 10k+ shows. From the 1950s onward, every wrestler who ranked among the top 10 draws of a decade is in the Hall of Fame except Orton and Wilbur Snyder (10th in the 1950s).
In terms of TV ratings, there’s one remarkable statistic regarding Orton. In 2009, Randy Orton was positioned as the company’s top star. He was the focal point of Monday Night Raw from the January 19 episode, when he began his feud with the McMahons, until October 25th when he dropped the WWE Championship to John Cena. The average TV rating for Raw in 2009 was 3.57, which was 9.2% higher than the previous year’s average.
Why is that stat remarkable? Because there has not been a single year in the post-Attitude era, other than 2009, when the average Raw ratings increased by more than 5% over the prior year.
Another notable thing to mention is Orton’s return in 2023 after 18 months, which saw him draw the highest-rated segments on both the Raw and SmackDown episodes following his return. His contract-signing segment on SmackDown, in particular, drew quite well.
Orton was a legitimate PPV draw in the 2000s and he has headlined numerous 10k+ shows over the past 24 years. He has a case as arguably the strongest draw on this year’s modern U.S./Canada ballot. Batista and Goldberg reached higher peaks as PPV draws, but neither had Orton’s longevity as a draw. Seth Rollins has somehow headlined more 10k+ shows than Orton, but Orton has the much stronger, better-documented PPV and TV-drawing case.
Randy Orton’s In-Ring Work
Orton’s in-ring case is the most subjective part of this article and the part of his résumé most likely to divide voters.
I think Orton has enough to offer in this category. Sure, his style of wrestling isn’t as acclaimed as that of wrestlers like Hiroshi Tanahashi, Daniel Bryan or Kenny Omega. His matches are rarely built around pace, and his reputation among hardcore fans has often been more negative than positive, but that criticism can obscure what Orton is really good at: psychology, controlling the crowd, timing, selling, character work ,and smoothness in move execution. Orton is also arguably one of the best heels of this century (he became the biggest heel in wrestling by feuding with the McMahons of all people).
“Randy is a natural heel. That’s his best asset. There’s no other heel like him. There’s no other heel better than him.” – Kurt Angle [The Kurt Angle show, 7/17/2021]
Orton’s reputation is not limited to WWE fans or management. Some of the industry’s best wrestlers from multiple generations—including Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Bret Hart, Gunther, MJF, and Will Ospreay—have praised his work.
For those who may want to rewatch and pay closer attention to Orton’s performances, here’s my list of the best Randy Orton matches, which showcase everything he has to offer in the ring: Best Randy Orton Performances
I don’t expect people to watch all the matches on the list during the WON HOF season, so I decided to highlight ten of them as case studies.
Let’s get right into them:
vs. Cactus Jack (WWE Backlash 2004, No Holds Barred): An all-time classic hardcore match against a hardcore legend. Orton’s performance as the inexperienced young wrestler entering his first-ever hardcore match is amazing. The incredible bumps that Orton took in this match solidified him as the future of the company.
“My favorite match was Backlash against Randy Orton. Crazy thing is, if he has a new favorite, I don’t want to know about it. He’s technically, probably had better matches. But the idea of being in that spot, people ask me, you will just say you made somebody. No one person makes anybody. It takes a lot of people, a lot of factors, and even if the bases were loaded for Randy, it’s still up to him to knock it out of the park. And he did, and one of the wisest decisions I ever made.” – Mick Foley [Chris Van Vliet Podcast]
vs. Edge (WWE Backlash 2020): Orton put on one of the most complete performances by a WWE wrestler I’ve ever seen in this match. Everything he does is on point here. Shame about the silly branding, though.
“Randy Orton was phenomenal in this match.” – Dave Meltzer [Wrestling Observer Radio, 6/15/2020]
vs. Christian (WWE Over the Limit 2011): Instead of going the WWE route for world title matches, which often rely heavily on finisher spamming, Orton and Christian built an entire series of matches around countering each other’s moves in masterful ways. This bout at Over the Limit 2011 stands out as the best of the series. Both wrestlers’ timing, the counters and the near-falls here are fantastic. Make sure to watch their SummerSlam match as well.
vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE RAW, 16/12/2013): You will have a hard time finding a better heel performance in modern WWE than the one Orton delivered here. Orton and Bryan tell the story of a heel who has decided to beat the babyface clean for once and prove he deserves to be the face of the company. One of the best TV matches of the 2010s.
“When I wrestle Randy (Orton) and when I watch Randy, and especially like, Randy at his best, I think, ‘Man, this guy is untouchable. Everything he does is perfect.’” – Bryan Danielson [The Ringer, 3/3/2023]
vs. John Cena (WWE Bragging Rights 2009, Iron Man): This was built as the final match between Cena and Orton (and it was… for two months) and it delivered for 60 minutes. An entertaining, smartly structured Iron Man match that’s full of creative spots and is rich in character work. It only slows down for around 10 minutes and that’s when Orton takes the lead, which fits his character and the story of the match.
vs. Gunther (WWE Bash in Berlin 2024): Two decades after his MOTYC against Mick Foley and a decade after his all-time great WrestleMania main event in New Orleans, Orton put on one of the company’s best matches of 2024 against Gunther. An old-school brawl done right in front of an electric Berlin crowd.
“I think Randy is that kind of guy that wherever he is in the world, I think he will stand out and pop out. All that combined with his high-class skill in that ring and understanding efficiency in what we do out there and understanding the meaning of the little things out there. I think that’s what makes him stand out.” – Gunther [Gorilla Position, 9/1/2024]
vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE SmackDown, 7/4/2006): The most underrated showing of Orton’s career, in my opinion. He’s such a great, arrogant heel here and his cocky character matches perfectly with Mysterio’s underdog babyface persona. Orton’s work on top and his gameplan of keeping the high-flyer Rey grounded make his heat segment and Rey’s comeback compelling.
“Randy Orton is, in my eyes and in my heart, the best wrestler in that company… Randy has a great presence and style that can’t be compared to anyone, and nobody can imitate his style.” – Rey Mysterio [Sports Illustrated, 12/21/2016]
vs. HHH (WWE No Mercy 2007, Last Man Standing): HHH enters this match with an injury in the storyline. Orton tries to end the match as quickly as possible but fails, so he gradually gets more and more aggressive with his offense. One of Orton’s most intense performances.
vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Batista (WWE WrestleMania 30): One of the most memorable WrestleMania main events of all time. Orton’s performance in this match is often overlooked because Bryan’s story rightfully takes the spotlight, but he’s the key to how good this match turned out to be in-ring-wise.
vs. John Cena (WWE SummerSlam 2007): Cena and Orton tell the story of a hot-headed babyface going up against a smart heel. It’s one of the best examples of Orton’s great in-ring psychology. Pretty much every move Orton does in this match, even something as simple as a headlock, gets a reaction from the New Jersey crowd. Orton also might have the best STF sell of anyone.
“Randy doesn’t necessarily get credit for being a great technician, but he is. People always use that term for me, “The Excellence of Execution” — and that’s what Randy is.” – Bret Hart [WWE.com, 8/23/2011]
Randy Orton’s Historical Significance:
What is Orton’s significance? Has he influenced anybody?
Well, some of the heels of this generation were influenced by Orton. MJF, a three-time AEW World Champion and arguably AEW’s best heel, mentioned Orton as a huge influence.
Jay White, a multiple-time Tokyo Dome headliner and a two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, mentioned him as the guy who got him to watch wrestling, and it’s not hard to spot Orton’s influence on White.
Influencing two of the best heels of this generation adds to Orton’s case, but that alone cannot establish that he has enough to offer in this category.
Orton’s greater historical significance lies elsewhere, though: Longevity.
The WON HOF criteria state that longevity should be a prime consideration, but that ‘just longevity without being either a long-term main eventer, a top draw and/or a top caliber in-ring performer should be seen as relatively meaningless.’
I argue that Orton’s longevity on top is historically significant.
Randy Orton debuted in WWE in 2002. Since then, the company has gone through multiple eras, generations of stars, changes in presentation, business model and audience. Orton has remained near the top through all of it.
My analysis of PPV headliners (using Adam Berger’s PPV data and my own compilation of PLE main events, which is linked under this paragraph) shows Orton has headlined 91 PPVs/PLEs so far, only behind John Cena (109). Only seven wrestlers have main evented more than 50 major shows in the U.S. (Cena (109), Orton (91), HHH (83), The Undertaker (75), Roman Reigns (71), Hulk Hogan (69) and Brock Lesnar (55)). Among the tiny group of wrestlers who have main evented more than 50 PPVs/PLEs in history, Orton is the only one not already in the WON Hall of Fame. Even if you only take PPVs into account, Orton is the only wrestler with more than 40 PPVs headlined who isn’t already in.
*: For WWE’s PLEs, the brand itself is often the biggest draw, so headliner counts should be read with that caveat. To determine headliners, I selected the two biggest matches on each PPV/PLE (or one match when the card had a clear main event). For multi-man matches with four or more participants, I picked the two or three biggest stars; for tag matches with six or more participants, I picked the four biggest stars. In a few cases where star power was too close to separate, I made a judgment call.
Orton is not only among the five wrestlers with the most PPVs headlined in the U.S., but also one of the top five in WWE’s “PLE-era”.
Even more remarkable, since winning his first world title in 2004, Orton has gone just one calendar year—2018—without either headlining a PPV or wrestling in a world-title match. Even during his rookie years, he wrestled for the WWE Championship against The Undertaker in 2002, a month after his debut. In his PPV debut in 2003, he was part of the Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam.
This is more than employment longevity. It is longevity at the highest level of the industry.
There’s a huge difference between 24 years employed by WWE and 24 years repeatedly being trusted with major storylines, world-title programs, and PPV main events.
Being able to remain a popular main eventer for many years in a company where you have to appear on national TV every week is a hard task. It’s incredibly difficult to avoid suffering from overexposure in this kind of situation.
Many would argue that Orton got pushed because the higher-ups liked him from the start, but the reason he has been a main eventer for such a long time is mostly because he is seen as a major star by the fans of the company. His push worked. Besides his botched babyface run in ’04 and his 273rd feud with John Cena during the rise of Daniel Bryan—roughly six months of his career—he has mostly received the star treatment from the WWE audience, unlike his contemporaries Cena and Reigns during their respective babyface mega-pushes, which were met with mixed reactions. Even late in his career, Orton has continued to receive some of the strongest crowd reactions on WWE shows, especially from the non-American crowds.
Simply put: He’s been very over for a very long time at the top.
If you don’t think a wrestler remaining a main-event-level wrestler for the biggest promotion in the world for as long as Orton has is historically significant, ask yourself this question:
How many pro wrestlers in history have managed to achieve this kind of longevity?
“Orton kills everyone on the list for longevity, number of main events in major markets and top position.”
Dave Meltzer wrote the above quote in 2019. Seven years later, Orton is still a headliner. In fact, he main evented yet another 10k+ show earlier this month against Cody Rhodes at Sunday Night’s Main Event!
Counterarguments:
There are reasons why Orton hasn’t come close to getting inducted. The main issue is his in-ring work. Some voters simply don’t like Orton’s wrestling style. It’s subjective, after all.
Some argue that if you eliminate Orton from wrestling history, nothing would change. The WON HOF criteria do not require a candidate to have fundamentally changed the wrestling industry.
Some argue that Orton was easily replaceable in WWE’s main-event scene. A lot of wrestlers became main eventers during Orton’s lengthy run on top, but none of them displaced him as a long-term headliner or hurt Orton’s status as an over star.
Some argue that he was never the drawing card on the same level as someone like John Cena, but you don’t need to be the biggest draw of your generation to meet the drawing criteria. Orton has more than enough to offer in that category.
“He [Orton] was not a super drawing card, although he also came in the era where that was difficult. Aside from John Cena, who in the U.S. of his contemporaries truly was? But when it comes to headlining big shows, or being legit among the top ten draws of his era, he fares extremely well historically, well above Hall of Fame threshold.” – Dave Meltzer [2019 HOF comments]
Conclusion on Randy Orton’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame Case
The WON HOF criteria make longevity a prime consideration.
Orton’s longevity on top is significant and among the rarest in wrestling history. Add his great drawing record to that, and you’ll get a strong candidate on this year’s ballot—arguably the strongest in the modern U.S./Canada section in terms of both longevity as a long-term main eventer and drawing.
Randy Orton deserves your vote.
