Randy Orton Talks Wyatt Family, Today's WWE Style and More - Bleacher Report

Randy Orton is a tag team champion once again in WWE thanks to his surprising association with The Wyatt Family. His partnership with The Eater of Worlds seemingly came from out of nowhere, but it's getting over nonetheless.

The Viper has definitely found a new lease on life in Vince McMahon's company.

In an interview with Bleacher Report, Orton talked about his work with The Wyatt Family and how it's reinvigorated his career. 

"Right now, I have a new pep in my step, I feel, because I'm working with guys who are fun to work with," he said. "This whole angle with The Wyatt Family, I'm really enjoying it. At first, I wasn't quite sure, but now that we're in the middle of it and, you know, me and Bray and Luke are tag champs, everything's feeling right. And I get to do what I do best, and that's be a heel."

It certainly sounds as though Orton feels at home in his new role. That role is taking him to different opponents in different kinds of matches, a fact he pointed out in regard to working with The Wyatt Family.

"Each week is a little different," he explained. "It's not getting stale. You know, nothing against Sheamus, but it's not working Sheamus every night for six months. You know what I'm saying? Like American Alpha. I've been working live events with these guys and Kane against me, Luke and Bray. And they're just amazing. They're so smooth. And they've got that heart that you're talking about, and it's making me have a little more heart because I'm in there with guys who feel that way."

Many fans likely believe that the angle is nothing more than a way to put a twist on Orton's past feud with Wyatt. The two don't have that much in common after all, so it's reasonable to believe that Orton will eventually betray his new family.

The Viper's character has always been deceitful, vengeful and dangerous. To believe that he would truly have Wyatt's back considering the hate between them seems impossible. But Orton's imminent betrayal of Wyatt may not be so imminent after all. 

"I feel a little lighter on my feet, and there's a bounce in my step again, you know, working with these guys," he continued. "And Luke too. He's great. Before I was injured, I was supposed to work with him in a singles match, I think on the pre-show of Hell in a Cell in 2015. I was looking forward to that. We've never touched, and somewhere down the line, I'm sure that'll happen too. But for right now, you know, for the next long while, I see my future being with them and us dominating SmackDown."

He is keeping busy with his new family, but he's also keeping busy with another new role.

Orton will be appearing on the December 13 episode of USA's new drama Shooter. Orton plays James Richards, the head of a militia that encounters series star Ryan Phillippe's character Bob Lee Swagger. Orton had a positive experience on the show, though he had virtually no time to prepare for it.

"Typically I'd have at least a few weeks, a month or two, to do that," he explained. "I had like two days' notice when I was sent the script. I would normally get an acting coach and on my days off spend four, five or six hours with an acting coach, leading up to going on set. But I wasn't able to do that, either.

"I just made sure that I was as prepared as I could be but also knew deep down in my heart that I work pretty well under tension and stress—and at a fast pace, not necessarily knowing what exactly is going on sometimes but trusting my instincts to fill in the holes, so to speak. So I feel like even though I wasn't as prepared as I'd normally like to be, I feel like I hit it out of the park. I was around a great group of guys. The cast is awesome, of course. The crew was spectacular."

Orton's TV work could always lead to something more. Any time a WWE Superstar does any sort of outside project, fans typically wait for what happens next. From The Rock to Batista to John Cena, Superstars have found lives apart from pro wrestling.

Shooter may be just the beginning of something more for The Viper. Maybe it's the road to a career after WWE, one that would keep him in the public eye while allowing him to do something different.

But even though he enjoyed his time during filming, Orton feels he's got a lot more left to offer when it comes to his WWE career, saying: "For the immediate future, for 10 more years, if I'm able to, I'd love to wrestle. This is what I enjoy doing.

"Doing these movies I've done with WWE, it's a different pace. It's a lot of hurry up and wait, a lot of sitting around, and like the day of the pay-per-view, when you're thinking about what you can do, and then you get the payoff, the reward, that night it's just a different animal. That live audience, it's a different animal. You grow as a WWE Superstar to really appreciate the reactions you're able to pull from these fans."

With Orton continuing in WWE for the foreseeable future, many fans may be wondering what he thinks of the product. The New Era has brought some real excitement to the fold, but what about the critics who complain the style is too fast or too flashy?

"I don't take myself too seriously, as I think I used to years ago, when I was younger," he said. "I want to go out there and try as hard as I can to be the best in that ring. And for me, that doesn't mean cutting flips and cartwheels and not selling punches. You know, the old school in me knows how to get over and get other guys over. I'm going to continue to do it. And who knows, the second- and third-generation wrestlers, for the most part, will be the last guys that you know know how to tell a story.

"It's amazing to me when these guys start just running, [performing] powerbombs, dropkicks and dives to the floor, and they never slow down, and there's no selling, and it's unbelievable."

Orton acknowledged the men who taught him, including Ric Flair, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. His old-school mentality has brought him a long way in WWE, and the new generation could definitely learn from him.

The Viper's potential future career in Hollywood will likely be there when the time comes. But for now, WWE needs him, and he obviously still has a lot left to give.

     

Orton's interview can be heard in its entirety here. Orton debuts on the December 13 episode of Shooter at 10 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.

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