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Many WWE superstars start out in the business after being inspired by past legends who have paved the way for them to make it big in the world of professional wrestling. It has been seen over the years that young athletes also tend to adopt various traits of former superstars as their own and make it a part of their onscreen persona. One highly popular WWE superstar, considered one of the greatest of all time, to do the same is Randy Orton.
Randy Orton has grown up in the business, coming from the storied history cemented by his father and grandfather, Bob Orton and Bob Orton Sr., respectively. The Viper has been a remarkable talent for well over twenty years in WWE and is known for his ability to garner the audience's attention with his ruthless nature and amazing in-ring talent. However, what many fans fail to miss is that Orton's moveset and some commonalities have kept alive the legacy of one particular legend in the modern era, Ron Garvin.
Ron Garvin was regarded as a highly accomplished in-ring competitor back in the early days but did not gain the prominence on the level of his peers such as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and even Randy Orton's own father, Bob Orton. Moreover, the legend of Ron Garvin and the Legend Killer Randy Orton is tied through wrestling in many ways. So let's explore the subject of Ron Garvin's legacy living through a top-caliber superstar like Randy Orton today.
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Randy Orton & Ron Garvin's Careers Are Tied By Wrestling In Its Own Way
The careers of every past and present wrestling superstar are often tied together by history, notable opponents, and accomplishments in the business. Some of these accolades keep them fresh in the fans' memory for a long time, even when they hang up the boots and leave the industry for good. The same can be said when it comes to Randy Orton and Ron Garvin.
Ronnie Garvin worked for Southeastern Championship Wrestling in the late 1970s. The organization was situated in Tennessee and was promoted by wrestler Ron Fuller. Despite having Canadian roots, Garvin was given the local moniker "Mr. Knoxville" and quickly won the hearts of the locals. He also won multiple tag team championships with many different teammates, one of them being Randy Orton's father, WWE Hall of Famer Cowboy Bob Orton.
The duo was part of the same roster and even considered among the driving force for the formation of the outlaw promotion i.e Southeastern Championship Wrestling. Moreover, the partnership of Bob Orton and Ron Garvin as well as their run as tag team champions was well-regarded by the fans during those early days. Much like Garvin, Randy Orton also had the privilege to form an alliance with his father Bob Orton years later, at the early stages of his career. The duo was a popular pair during the Ruthless Aggression era, feuding with The Undertaker, and even teaming up to compete in a match against him.
Another point of commonality between Randy Orton and Ron Garvin circles around being a world champion. While many fans don't know, Ron Garvin was involved in a major feud with Randy Orton's future mentor, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, in 1987 during his tenure in NWA. This led to a classic bout inside a steel cage between the two, with the Rugged Ron Garvin walking out with the win in Detroit and becoming the NWA World Champion, represented by the Big Gold Belt. Randy Orton's first world title win came in 2004 under the tutelage of Ric Flair and Triple H at WWE SummerSlam 2004, capturing the same title Garvin held in 1987.
RELATED: 10 Things WCW Fans Should Know About Ronnie Garvin
Randy Orton Adopted An Interesting Stomp Move From Ron Garvin
The most interesting and noticeable part that shows Randy Orton embedded the spirit of the man known as "Rugged One" with "Hands of Stone" Ron Garvin is a famous in-ring move that has been a part of Randy Orton's arsenal for a long time.
It is that one move that Randy Orton does when he carefully circles a knocked-down opponent and purposefully presses the heel of his foot into specific joints and muscles, aiming for weak spots with the savage intent of hurting his opponent. The move is named after the forgotten legend Ron Garvin. The Garvin Stomp is the name of the maneuver, which almost sounds lackluster given the body damage it can cause, but the term is more of a homage than a conscious creative choice. While executing the move in his heyday, Garvin would continue to trample on his helpless adversary and brutalize many of his enemies before disposing of them with this ruthless and simple move. Using the heel of his boot, Randy Orton returned the classic move to professional wrestling, punishing opponents like John Cena and Daniel Bryan with pinpoint accuracy.
With so much rich history between them, it can be said for sure that Randy Orton certainly has kept the legacy alive of a former NWA champion like Ron Garvin, who was an important part in revolutionizing the business during the golden age of wrestling.
