3-Time UFC World Champion Seen Performing Randy Orton’s RKO During Training
UFC legend George St-Pierre took on a very different challenge while training with the Haroon Twins, practicing Randy Orton’s iconic RKO. After scoring 4/10 and 7/10 on earlier attempts, GSP’s best try earned an impressive 9.7/10.
George St-Pierre just stepped into Randy Orton's world, at least for a training session. The UFC Hall of Famer was recently seen practicing Orton's famous RKO with social media personalities the Haroon Twins, going through multiple attempts as he tried to get the WWE move right. His first score was only 4/10. Then came a 7/10. His best attempt? A huge 9.7/10. GSP is a former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion, but this time the challenge had nothing to do with an MMA fight. During the session, he watched how the RKO was performed before trying it himself. The move has become much bigger than just a wrestling finisher over the years, with Randy Orton's name almost inseparable from it. St-Pierre even shared the training clip on X with the caption, “RKO outta nowhere.”
George St-Pierre's Was Practicing the RKO on the Haroon Twin
The Haroon Twins were part of the training session where St-Pierre worked on the signature move. Rather than landing it perfectly on the first try, GSP had to figure out the movement as he went.
His early attempt was rated 4/10, giving him plenty of room to improve. The next try moved up to 7/10, showing that he was getting more comfortable with the technique. Then came his standout attempt, which received a 9.7/10 rating.
St-Pierre posted the clip himself, adding the classic RKO phrase to the post: “RKO outta nowhere!” It was a pretty fitting caption considering Orton's finisher is known for being delivered suddenly.
Why Randy Orton Has Mixed Feelings About the RKO
The RKO might be one of the biggest parts of Orton's wrestling identity, but the 14-time WWE World Champion has admitted he sometimes wishes he picked a different finishing move.
Speaking to The Sportster a few years ago, Orton explained why. “I kind of wish I could go back in time and create a finishing move that didn't entail me jumping up as high as I can and landing on my back,” he said.
Orton added that after performing the move thousands of times over several decades, he has started to feel its effect on his spine. Still, he is happy that the RKO became so strongly linked to his brand.
That popularity even surprised Orton when he met Logan Paul. According to Orton, Paul told him he knew what an RKO was before he knew who Randy Orton was. “I didn't know who you were, but I knew what the RKO was,” Paul reportedly said.
The RKO has helped define Orton's career and has been part of his multiple World Championship wins. He is currently chasing his 15th title, while GSP has now added a very different kind of RKO attempt to his résumé.