Randy Orton speaks with Michael Cole for an exclusive interview before Bash in Berlin

Randy, welcome. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for joining me, looking forward to this. There's a lot to talk about. I wanna start back at Survivor Series November of last year in Chicago. You returned to WWE after a year and a half, very well documented the injury issues you had. Did you ever think you were gonna make it back? >> Thanks for having me. Gosh, there was about six months that went by while I was out for that year and a half where I thought that that was it, my career was over. It hit me like a semi truck. I mean, that's who I am. Being a professional wrestler, being a WWE superstar, is everything. A lot of agony I went through because of how they approached the surgeries. But the finished result, the end result at about three months was like, my God, I can start training again. And then I slowly started the recovery process, and I found myself stronger in the gym, recovering very quickly. And then before I knew it, I was calling Hunter and saying, hey, I think I'm ready to go down to the PC and start training again. >> The agony was obviously worth it because when you walked out at Survivor Series in Chicago, it was a monster pop. Walk me through that. What did that feel like? >> I was so nervous. I think this happens to a lot of guys. I've talked to Shawn, and Steve, and Hunter, and Taker about it, in fact, where when you're on the shelf for a good amount of time, you come back. Doesn't matter who you are, even those guys I just listed. >> [APPLAUSE]. >> It's easy to get in your head and wonder, are they gonna remember me? Are they gonna give up? Are they gonna care? My confidence level was around a three or a four. It took me probably until around WrestleMania to where I was like, okay, I'm good. I'm good, yeah. >> The Survivor Series is weird because you walk out and you get this monster pop and Randy Orton's back. >> Sure. >> And then at the end of the show. >> Okay, yeah, I didn't know if we were gonna go there or not, yeah. >> [LAUGH] CM Punk- >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Makes his return. >> Sure. >> Tell me what you felt at that moment. >> So [LAUGH], Triple H is like, hey, I need to talk to you. It's like an hour before the show starts. He sits me down and he said, hey, so this and that, and da da da, glad to have you back. One more thing, Punk's coming back, and he's making his return tonight. And I was like, [SOUND] >> Excuse me? [LAUGH] >> Are you with me? But this is my first day back in a month and a half. So I'm just like, okay, cool. And as I'm out there and I'm awaiting Punk, I realized, I had my moment. He comes out, he has his moment. I was okay with it after the fact, but going into it, it was a little bit of a mind. In the end, I'm glad he's back. We had a couple great conversations since he's returned and just kinda look back at that day and laugh. >> A lot has changed in WWE for the better? >> 100% for the better. Once I got back on the road, I realized, like, wow. From a creative standpoint, things just operate so much more smoothly now. The morale in the locker room has also changed. We get to go home and rest. Your daughter's being born? Sure, you can have off. You've been working hard for three years? Take a couple weeks, and if you have the majority of your talent healthy and happy, your shows are gonna show that, and the fans are gonna enjoy that. >> WWE isn't the only thing that's changed, Randy Orton's changed. >> A little bit. >> If you could go back in time and the Randy Orton of today could talk to the 23-year-old Randy Orton who started in this company, what would you tell him? >> Don't do what those other guys are doing. It was one of those examples of too much, too soon. But if that wouldn't have happened to me, I don't think I'd be sitting here now. And it's kinda cool. If I think about from the fans point of view, they've seen Randy Orton grow up. It was fun for me, I hope they had a good time, too. [LAUGH] >> Well, and I've had the honor of calling most of your stuff since- >> [CROSSTALK] >> Following that ride. Now the fans are on your side a little bit more. Does that affect your approach at all, what you do in the ring? >> I'd have to say it does, I remember John Cena earlier in my career. Looking back, it was a very cool, teachable moment for me because I realized how a good baby face interacts with the fans, not only on camera, but off camera, too. So a younger Randy Orton would look for the most vulnerable child in the first few rows and lock eyes with them, and I would make it my job to try and get them to cry. And there might be a little part of me that still would like that, but I've suppressed it so much. I'd hate to say that I hate to say it but I really enjoy being a good guy. I enjoy the response from the crowd. I enjoy that respect. And I feel like it was a very long, hard earned respect where it didn't take John as long to earn that type of respect from them. It took me much longer cuz it took me longer to find myself. >> One of the things that's cool heading into Bash in Berlin is something that probably would have never been done in the past. And that's the fact that King of the Ring- >> Right. >> You and Gunther have this unbelievable match. >> Right. >> He beats you. >> Right? >> Put your shoulders up. >> Exactly. >> Obviously a mistake in the ring. >> Yep. >> We would have moved on. >> Of course. >> That night- >> Forget about it. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> That night Triple H said, referee's decision, he made a mistake. >> Yeah. >> Now we're going back to give you the opportunity that you should have had. >> I love the fact that we can do this little callback. Go back to the King of the Ring and say, hey, Gunther, if you didn't beat me at King of the Ring, you would have never got the chance to beat Priest for the title at SummerSlam, so I want my shot. And it's a great story and it's real. >> That match was fabulous. >> Thank you. >> You guys- >> I was happy with it. >> That was the first time you were in the ring with Gunther, right? >> Yes, yeah. >> He is physical, isn't he? >> Yeah, yeah, the fans see it, whether they like him or hate him, he's one of a kind. When I first came back in November, he would have been on the short list of guys that I would have wanted to kinda watch out for. Because I wasn't there on that confidence level where I knew that I could handle a Powerbomb or I could handle one of those Clotheslines. I'm at the point now where I really feel confident going into this thing, Michael. I'm flying my wife to Berlin to watch. I have a feeling that the energy in that venue is gonna be just really cool to be a part of. And I don't want her to sit at home and watch, I want her to be there for it. And I can't wait for this match. Gunther and I aside, I can't wait to hear how the fans react to us. >> I'm excited to sit out there and call this thing because I wanna see how they're gonna react to Randy Orton. >> Sure. >> Are they gonna sing the song? >> Right. >> Are they gonna cheer for you? >> Right. >> Is it gonna be thunderous? >> Mm-hm. >> And then you've got a man in Gunther who was born in Austria just across the border. >> Right. >> He cut his teeth in Germany on the independent scene. He's really a hero to many of the people- >> Yeah. >> In that country. >> He's a living legend over in Europe, that's exactly what he is. So, it's gonna be interesting. But, I'm the legend killer, baby. So, hey. [LAUGH] >> You talk about all the talent Gunther has, right? >> Yes. >> Why do you think he had to dig the dirt? >> Your grandfather was a screw up. Your father was a screw up. You, Randy Orton, you are the biggest screw up of them all. >> The match was already set. This is for the title. And the prize that's on the line makes this match what it is. If I'm Gunther, the only reason I would try to make it personal is because I think that maybe this Randy Orton's got a leg up on me. So I need to do everything that I can. Did it bother me? Yeah, I mean, no one wants to hear anything negative said about their family, or themselves, for that matter. But did it really get under my skin? Not at all. >> Couple final questions. The first is this, you are creeping closer to history. 14-time World Champion, tied with Triple H for second of all time. If you win at Bash in Berlin, you become a 15-time World Champion, second place to yourself. One win behind John Cena, Ric Flair, do you think about it? >> Being tied with Hunter at 14 and only being behind Flair and John, I mean, I'm in a really good spot already. But that's not to say that if I could break yet another record, and that being holding this prize more than anybody else, or getting closer to being the man that beats Flair's record or Cena's record, I mean, come on. That's every little boy's dream, every little girl's dream. I've beaten a lot of records, I've set some records, there's a lot of them. But if there was one record that I really wanted to go after, it would definitely be to hold that title more than anybody else. But I think it's probably the hardest record to achieve at this point in my career. >> 20 years ago, you became the youngest World Champion in history. 20 years later, you are a surefire Hall of Famer. It's been my honor and privilege to be able to call most of your matches in your career. Watching your growth to where you've become today is absolutely sensational. Good luck against Gunther. I'm hoping you win number 15. >> Thanks. >> Go out there and do it. >> Thanks, Michael. >> Thanks, Randy. >> Yeah, man. >> Thank you.