Even as the world is dealing with the pandemic and many major sporting events including the Olympics have been cancelled, the US state of Florida in April, declared WWE wrestling as an essential service. The decision did surprise many but the popularity of the sport speaks for itself. However, there are safety concerns for all involved, especially after one non-ring personnel recently tested positive at the facility in Florida. WWE superstar Randy Orton, who faced Edge in the headline pay-per-view match earlier today, said he has been visiting the facility frequently and assures that officials are taking all the necessary precautions. “There are hand sanitizers installed everywhere and everybody has to wear masks unless when wrestling. A whole team of doctors talk to us before we enter and check that nobody has the symptoms,” he says.
Being former World Tag Team Champions, Randy Orton and Adam Copeland, better known as Edge, have one of the biggest rivalries, and the schedule has kept him training really hard but he enjoys every bit of it, though indoors. “While there is no comparison to practising in the ring, I have been making the most of the swimming pool at home, running laps and working out with my teenage sons,” reveals the wrestler, who is famous for his signature RKO move. However, Randy says the lockdown has made him miss the fans more than ever before because they give wrestlers most of the energy. “It has made me realise that the fans are the biggest most important part of the show and if anything, it has made me have a newfound respect for the fans because they are a big part of the show,” he explains.
The lockdown may have kept fans away, but it has given him a lot of family time and Randy says he considers it a blessing. He has been spending all his time with his five children and wife, Kim Orton, a luxury he can’t afford because he is constantly on the road. “We watch a family movie together, play monopoly, teach my daughter to swim, hike with the boys and all this because I have been at home,” he concludes.