Summary

Randy Orton says he has no interest in weakening the RKO by turning it into a move opponents routinely survive. Speaking in an interview conducted before WrestleMania 42, Orton explained that protecting the move has been a priority for years, and he credited Vince McMahon for reinforcing that approach early in his WWE run.

Orton said the RKO has to stay a true match-ending shot, especially because it can come from anywhere. That philosophy has helped keep the move among the most protected finishers in wrestling, even as modern main events often lean on repeated kick-outs and extended finisher exchanges.

Quote from Randy Orton

"It's funny because that RKO is everything. Vince 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. 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."

What the RKO means for Randy Orton in WWE

Orton keeping the RKO protected preserves one of WWE's simplest storytelling tools, because any match can turn in a second once he gets the opening. That matters even more for a veteran star whose offense is built around timing, reactions, and credibility rather than long setup sequences.

It also helps explain why Orton still feels dangerous in major matches. Even after Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton drew strong praise after WrestleMania 42, the RKO remains the kind of finish that can instantly change the direction of a feud without needing multiple attempts to get there.

Sources

Randy Orton while speaking with The Schmo