WWE SummerSlam: Randy Orton's highs and lows
From becoming youngest world champion to beating Undertaker...
Sunday 21 August 2016 21:10, UK
Randy Orton has become a staple of WWE SummerSlam, with Sunday's showdown against Brock Lesnar to be his 12th match at the event.
From becoming the youngest wold champion in WWE history to battling legends of the wrestling industry, The Viper has been a constant headline-maker at the August show.
Check out Orton's SummerSlam story below and then don't miss his blockbuster - or is that Brock-buster? - bout at SummerSlam on Sunday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office…
Early success
Orton could have become the youngest WWE world champion a year earlier than he did, as his SummerSlam bow, in 2003 at the age of 23, saw him line up in an Elimination Chamber Match alongside champion - and then Evolution stablemate - Triple H, as well as fellow challengers Goldberg, Chris Jericho, Kevin Nash and Shawn Michaels.
Orton was the second man banished from the match, falling victim to a spear from Goldberg, but he was celebrating 12 months later when he beat Chris Benoit to claim WWE's top prize to trump Lesnar as the most youthful world champion. The Viper has rarely been out of the title picture since and once his beef with Lesnar is over, he can go on the hunt for a 13th world championship reign.
Locking horns with legends
The St Louis native called himself The Legend Killer in the early 2000s, having defeated the likes of fan favourite Michaels and current Raw General Manager Mick Foley and he got to mix it with two of the biggest Superstars in WWE history, The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan, at successive SummerSlams in 2005 and 2006 - with decidedly mixed results.
Orton and his father, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, outfoxed The Undertaker in Washington, DC - Orton senior dressing up as a fan to distract The Phenom and allow his son, who had been blasted with Old School and a chokeslam, to unleash a match-winning RKO. Orton didn't fare so well the following year without his dad, pinned by Hogan following a trademark leg drop.
The Cena rivalry
Orton and Cena have flourished in WWE over the past 15 years - the duo winning a combined 27 world championships and main-eventing multiple pay-per-views, including twice against each other at SummerSlam. The Apex Predator and The Cenation Leader battled at the show in 2007 and 2009, with the man heading into the match as WWE champion leaving as WWE champion on both occasions.
Cena prevailed first time around, countering Orton's attempted punt to the head and shrugging off an RKO before sealing victory with an Attitude Adjustment. Orton gained revenge two years later, however, in a no-disqualification, no-count-out match, when Brett DiBiase - the brother of his Legacy pal Ted - attacked the referee and Orton dropped Cena with an RKO.
Two more title wins
Orton has claimed two more world titles at SummerSlam since defeating Benoit in 2004, beating Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011 and Daniel Bryan for the WWE Champion in 2013. One of those triumphs was a near-24 minute classic, the other a real smash-and-grab.
The Viper battled Christian in a No Holds Barred bout and amid garbage cans, kendo sticks and steel chairs emerged victorious after hitting the Canadian with an RKO on the steel steps. He didn't have to work quite so hard to down Bryan, though, cashing-in his Money in the Bank contract after Bryan had beaten John Cena and then been attacked by that bout's referee, Triple H.
Losing streak
Orton's last two SummerSlam appearances have ended in failure, though - he was Brogue Kicked into defeat by Irish Superstar Sheamus at last year's event in Brooklyn and lost via a Roman Reigns spear inside California's Staples Center 12 months previously. With Lesnar his opponent this Sunday, Orton has his hands full trying to avoid a hat-trick of losses.
The reverse against Reigns, in 2014, came amid a series of disappointing results, with The Viper having been part of Evolution's defeats to The Shield and then failing in his recent world title pursuits, but the 2015 beating by Sheamus is the one he will find particularly galling, having also lost to the Dubliner at SummerSlam 2010 with the WWE Championship on the line.
How will Orton get on against Lesnar at this year's SummerSlam? Find out by watching the show from midnight on Sunday on Sky Sport Box Office.
You will also be able to follow a live blog of the event on skyports.com and the Sky Sports app.
WWE SummerSlam booking details
WWE SummerSlam will be shown on Sky Sports Box Office (channel 491) AND Sky Sports HD Box Office (492) at midnight on Sunday, August 21 (Monday morning).
WWE SummerSlam will be repeated on Sky Sports Box Office (channel 491) BUT NOT Sky Sports HD Box Office (492) between 10am on Monday, August 22 and 8pm on Thursday, August 25.
Repeat showings will air at 10am, 3pm, 8pm and 1am, with THE FINAL PLAYOUT starting at 8pm on Thursday, August 25.
The event is priced at £19.95 for UK customers, €24.95 for viewers in the Republic of Ireland.
UK viewers can call 03442 410 888 to book WWE SummerSlam NOW, while customers in the Republic of Ireland should call 0818 220 225. (There may be an additional charge for telephone bookings).
You can also book WWE SummerSlam online NOW by visiting this link: https://my.sky.com/orderboxoffice/
Viewers can also book using their Sky TV remote by pressing the 'Box office' button, scrolling across to the sports tab and following on-screen instructions. (Only bookings via Sky TV remote are recordable using Sky Plus).
Sky TV residential customers only. Commercial customers contact Sky for price and to order. Sky Box Office terms apply. Cable customers should contact their local cable operator.
