Randal Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler. Since 2000, he has been signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Orton has the tied-third most world championship reigns in the company's history, and a career spanning over 20 years.
Orton is a third-generation professional wrestler; his grandfather Bob Orton, father Bob Orton Jr., and uncle Barry Orton were all wrestlers. Before being signed by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), he trained in and wrestled for the Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling. He was then signed by the WWF and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), where he held the OVW Hardcore Championship twice. Orton would debut on the main roster in 2002, soon joining the Evolution stable, and as part of the group would become the youngest world champion in WWE history after he won WWE's World Heavyweight Championship in 2004. He would be kicked out of the stable as a result, and enter singles competition. Orton has held the WWE Championship 10 times and the World Heavyweight Championship four times.