Former WWE Champion Randy Orton has always been looked at as one of the toughest competitors in the company. Often booked as a despicable heel, the 14-time world champion has taken out several legends and even former CEO Vince McMahon with his villainous antics.
However, one superstar who can match The Viper step for step in a wrestling ring in terms of being a ruthless destroyer is Brock Lesnar. In 2016, Lesnar was hot on the heels of a major fight in UFC 200 against Mark Hunt. He returned to the company in 2012 and decimated several superstars, including John Cena. Now Lesnar was touted to go up against The Viper. He had only faced Randy Orton once in his career, in 2002, in a match that many fans don’t even remember.
#TheBeast @BrockLesnar is inflicting an ALL-OUT ASSAULT on @RandyOrton… #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/THGLEz4ePh
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2016
For many, the two superstars, who were in their prime, could tear the house down. In anticipation of this, the bout was set as the main event of SummerSlam 2016. After a hard-fought battle, Randy Orton delivered two RKOs and kicked out of the F5. This seemingly enraged Lesnar, who took matters into his own hands and busted open The Viper with several elbow blows to the temple, winning via TKO.
In the aftermath of the bout, fans were shocked at what went down. It was later revealed that, as a result of the elbow shots, Orton received ten staples to his forehead to cover up the laceration. He also received a concussion, which put him out of action for two weeks.
What did Randy Orton have to say about being busted open by Brock Lesnar?
A few months after being brutally assaulted by Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton revealed the inner workings of the match. He stated that it was all work and that he purposefully wanted to get injured. The Viper added that the two men came up with the finish and that The Beast Incarnate and he were on the same page. Orton further added that he had a good equation with Brock Lesnar as both started their careers in Ohio Valley Wrestling. He concluded that Brock Lesnar was always a fun guy to be around and was humble.
“I have a lot of respect for Brock. I was down in OVW with him, and I was there a few months before he came. We all knew he was coming, but when he came, he was humble and a fun guy to be around. He’s still the same way. He’s been through a lot, and he’s really became a name in this business and in MMA.”
The aftermath of the gruesome bout also saw Chris Jericho confront Lesnar backstage. He apparently went up to The Beast to ask him what had happened. The current AEW star reportedly walked up to Michael Hayes to ask what the finish of the match meant, but Hayes didn’t answer him. The Ocho seemingly went on to check on Randy Orton.
Dave Meltzer also reported that Jericho and Lesnar were apparently shouting at each other the whole time and went face-to-face. However, Randy Orton revealed later on that the whole issue was blown out of proportion and that Jericho had misconstrued the situation. Orton is currently dealing with a back injury, and the possibility of him returning to the ring seems bleak, as per the latest update.