The RKO has become one of the most easily recognizable moves in wrestling, leading it to take on a life of its own in meme form as part of pop culture. Many non-wrestling fans might not even know the context behind the move, as they scream the phrase before crudely performing it on one of their unsuspecting friends.
Randy Orton has had one of the most storied WWE careers ever, becoming a 14-time world champion in the process. However, his greatest legacy will undoubtedly be the three-lettered finisher that has seen him be a top star in the business for almost two decades.
The move has helped him win multiple championships, star in countless main events and turn on more than a fair share of his allies (watch your back Riddle). It may just be a move, but the RKO has become much more famous than most wrestlers could ever dream of being themselves.
So, how did the RKO come "Outta Knowhere," to be so popular?
Origins Of The RKO
In wrestling, it is hard to correctly credit someone with inventing a wrestling move as there are so many variations of almost every hold imaginable. WWE officially claims that the RKO, or at least the first variation of it, was invented by none other than John Laurinaitis who called it the 'Ace Crusher'. Laurinaitis claims he came up with the move in 1987, when Barry Windham said to him, "Why don’t you do a front face neckbreaker as a move?"
Other classic examples of the move include Diamond Dallas Page's 'Diamond Cutter' and Steve Austin's famous 'Stone Cold Stunner'. The RKO is perhaps best described as a blend between a cutter and a stunner, with an extra jump into the move that demonstrates Orton's athleticism.
Orton's first finishing move wasn't even the RKO, as he begun his career using a combination of a full nelson slam and a move later popularised by MVP, which he dubbed the 'Playmaker'. He first used a cutter in a match with The Hurricane on RAW in 2004, although he hadn't quite got the execution down just yet.
Randy Orton would go on to perfect the move and thus, the RKO was born.
How Did The RKO Become A Meme? The RKO had been in the vernacular of wrestling fans long before it became an internet sensation. It is not a knock on Orton to say it's by far the most interesting thing about his act which makes fan gravitate towards him.
The move found broader mainstream appeal thanks to the short video streaming site Vine in 2014. 'RKO Vine Remixes' found a surge in popularity and soon Randy Orton was being edited into videos of people falling over in a variety of comical ways. Orton caught onto the buzz he was getting, even referencing the meme on his Twitter.
The 'Apex Predator' has recently talked about how thankful he is for the meme, as it has ultimately benefited his popularity. He said in an interview on The Kurt Angle Show: "It helped me, my brand, my finish means more than it really does."
There is probably a handful of wrestling finishers that the average person could name, most of which will be from 90's superstars. Orton's move has managed to transcend the wrestling world and become a meme in doing so, which he should be absolutely thankful for.
Some Of The Best RKOs
There is a plethora of great RKOs to choose from, so it is worth going over some of the best that Randy Orton has pulled off.
Orton's RKO on The Undertaker at WrestleMania 21 was fantastic in execution as it also provided a terrific near-fall. Taker went for a chokeslam but Orton very smoothly countered it into his own finisher, almost ending the Deadman's WrestleMania undefeated streak. Perhaps the most memorable WrestleMania example is the instantly GIF-able Curb Stomp into RKO on Seth Rollins. The 31st iteration of the show would end up being quite a night for Rollins, but Orton would walk away with the win after the incredible counter.
One of the more brutal RKOs came in Orton's No Holds Barred match with Christian at SummerSlam 2011, where he caught his opponent mid-air and landed on some steel steps. However, this wasn't the best of Orton's catching RKO's, as that honour goes to Evan Bourne. On an episode of RAW in July 2010, Evan Bourne went for his finisher, a shooting star press, but Orton caught him perfectly with an RKO.
With Orton in the twilight of his career, the RKO remains as over as ever. Even when he finally hangs up his boots, the RKO will go down as one of the most iconic finishers of all time.