Former WWE superstar Matt Sydal (Evan Bourne) recently conducted an interview with Chris Van Vliet, where he discussed arguably the greatest RKO ever hit. On the July 12, 2010 episode of WWE Raw, Sydal was setting up for his finisher on Randy Orton, a shooting star press, while Sydal was in mid air Randy would get up and hit a perfect RKO, securing him the win.
His comments on the famous RKO have been included below:
“The first time I saw it get nailed was [Matt Cross], him and B-Boy did it on an IWA Mid-South show I was on. I was in talking to him about it and I told him, ‘If I ever have a feud with Randy Orton, I want to do the shooting star into the cutter.’ The next day, turns out me and Randy have a segment. I said, ‘Anybody want to do the shooting star RKO?’ There were some doubts from management that it was humanly possible, but it was this perfect merging of two guys’ finishers. It’s something we can do confidently. I jump, and there’s no control, so I’m jumping and thinking that if he’s there, I’m going to land on him. If he jumps up to give me the cutter, I’m taking it. I basically do the same leap and when I’m able to see the ground, it’s just getting caught.”
Sydal would also note, when he and Randy discussed how to take the move, it was decided Sydal would have to take the full brunt of the move:
“This one was the highest level of pain degree because I have the extra downward gravity of it. I landed the best way to land, which is just belly out and eating it. I basically just laid there after. Sometimes I have energy and I’m selling, on that one, I just ate it and there was no wind left in me,”
Sydal praised Orton for his timing and athleticism, and noted that they did not practice it at all. He also praised the camera work for zooming in on him on the top rope and not tipping the counter until it was happening.
Matt Sydal has recently signed with AEW, hopefully there we will see some more incredible shooting star presses, and great matches from the man once known as Evan ‘Air’ Bourne’.
Thanks for reading, you can follow me on Twitter @nunnyboy20.
Check out our official store at PRO WRESTLING TEES, show us your support and buy a shirt. You can visit our store by clicking here.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @BodySlamNet and on Instagram @BodySlamDotNet
Also check us out on Facebook and give us a like and share by clicking HERE.
