Randy Orton believes WWE’s reduced live event schedule has impacted how performers build in-ring chemistry, pointing to a significant drop in match volume compared to previous years.
Speaking with The Schmo before WrestleMania 42, Randy Orton explained that earlier in his career, wrestlers would often face the same opponent repeatedly on live events before competing on television, allowing them to refine their matches.
“I think when we used to do more shows… we would wrestle each other every single night,” Orton said. “By the time that we got into the ring on TV… we would already have had a chemistry built. You don’t want to do anything for the first time live.”
He contrasted that with the current schedule, noting that many matches now take place for the first time on television without that prior experience.
“I’ve wrestled many guys… for the first time on live TV, and that’s crazy to think.”
Orton also highlighted the difference in overall match volume, referencing recent figures to illustrate the change.
“I think I heard last year, LA Knight wrestled like 77 matches… and that’s wild because we were wrestling 180, 200, 220 matches a year,” he said. “I had 15 years or so where I was averaging 185 matches a year.”
While acknowledging the physical toll of a heavier schedule, including the demands of travel and its impact on family life, Orton stressed that the repetition helped wrestlers develop durability and improve their performances.
“Your body builds up a resiliency… and you’re able to build that chemistry with all that time in the ring… and you learn what works.”
Randy Orton Failed To Capture Undisputed WWE Championship At WrestleMania 42
Randy Orton most recently competed at WrestleMania 42, where he was defeated by Cody Rhodes in the night one main event, failing to capture the Undisputed WWE Title after delivering an RKO to Pat McAfee.
