Randy Orton returned to WWE during last year's Survivor Series: WarGames after what looked like a potentially career-ending back injury. A lot has changed in the 18 months he spent on the sidelines, including the retirement, return, and eventual ousting of disgraced WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
Last month, McMahon was hit with a lawsuit full of horrifying sexual abuse allegations. Those forced him to finally step down from the now Endeavor-owned WWE and he's not expected to ever return.
Talking to Sports Illustrated, Orton broke his silence on the claims.
"I've got to say this - I wouldn't be where I am without Vince McMahon taking a chance on me a handful of times," The Viper acknowledged. "I would not be where I am today without Vince McMahon. But, f*ck, I’m reading this sh*t. What you've seen and read, I've seen and read. As far as commenting on that, it f*cking hurts my heart. It hurts my heart."
Orton went on to praise WWE President Nick Khan and Chief Content Creator Paul "Triple H" Levesque for creating a new, safer backstage climate and explained how much the company has changed under their watch.
"So much happened while I was out," he said. "When I left, the old guard was still doing its thing. Vince was still around. TV's were getting rewritten over and over again. The writers were being held up until all hours in the morning. And all that changed."
"I am excited to work for WWE. Nick Khan is amazing. Triple H being in charge of creative is amazing. I’ve had a relationship with him for over 20 years. I went to his wedding back in '03. We've been at odds before when I was a f*ck up when I was young, and I won him back," Orton continued. "He’s seen me go from an adolescent asshole prick who didn't know what I was doing - I was an insecure punk, that’s what I was."
"I’m the oldest sibling in my family, but he’s like an older brother to me in many ways. He’s always been there and had the best of advice."
The former WWE Champion added, "Triple H and Nick Khan reassured me to come to them if I needed anything and they’d take care of it. They’ve already proven they weren’t full of sh*t when they said that...I'm very happy with the changes, and I’m very happy that Nick Khan, Triple H, Bruce Prichard and all those guys are proving they mean what they say. The company changed, and they care about the talent. I think everybody feels the same way."
It's a new era for WWE and one Orton seems to be enjoying. We'll next see him compete in this Saturday's Elimination Chamber when he battles Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Kevin Owens, and Logan Paul for the chance to challenge World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at WrestleMania.