The RKO is performed on standing opponents - this move can't be effectively performed on people who are sitting, kneeling, or lying down because it deals damage by causing your opponent to fall on his face from a standing position. The RKO also requires your opponent to be facing you.


In the ring, Randy Orton doesn't always wait for an opponent to face him before delivering a deadly RKO. Often, he'll turn a dazed opponent to face him, then perform a modified standing RKO (as opposed to the "normal" RKO, which requires space to run).
This bears repeating: never perform the RKO on someone who is unaware of what the move entails or doesn't understand the risks involved. Remember that professional wrestling is staged, practiced, and, to a certain extant, choreographed. The RKO, even when performed perfectly, can cause serious injury. Performed carelessly, this risk exponentially increases.;
, Though several variations on the basic RKO exist, the most common, well-known version starts with Randy Orton taking a running start towards his opponent. This can be done from a standing start or as a rebound maneuver off of the turnbuckle. Give yourself enough space to gain decent speed - you don't need to be sprinting, but you do need to be running fast enough to get inside your opponent's defenses without giving him a chance to block or dodge.


Remember that moves like the RKO are performed by professional wrestlers so that they'll look devastating but will actually result in no lasting injury. wikiHow strongly recommends gently walking through this move, rather than performing it at full speed.
 As you near your opponent at running speed, jump towards him while turning around. Your goal is to make contact between your upper back and your opponent's upper torso and catch his head on the shoulder of your dominant arm. As you leap and turn away from your opponent, raise your hands in preparation to grab your opponent's head.


Running directly at anyone - experienced wrestler or not - is dangerous and can lead to serious injury. Take all necessary precautions to ensure your safety, as well as your opponent's.
 As you make contact with your opponent, grab his head and cradle it with your dominant arm above your shoulder. His head should rest fairly comfortably against the front of your shoulder or upper chest. Rest your non-dominant hand against the back of your opponent's head - the goal is to give the impression that you're gripping it firmly without actually applying any force.


Disclaimer: Never, ever, perform this step (or any step after this one) at full speed. Violently jerking or twisting someone's neck can cause crippling, debilitating spinal injury. The RKO is meant to look like it can break an opponent's neck - with only a relatively small mistake, it can.
 As soon as you make contact with your opponent and grab his head, lift your feet up and begin to fall. Your goal is to get nearly, if not completely, horizontal. At the end of a successful RKO, you will be lying face-up on your back.


At this point, your opponent should also try to get horizontal in the air. However, since he'll be facing down, he'll need to kick his legs back as he falls forward.
 Release your non-dominant hand's hold on the back of your opponent's head. Your opponent's head should now be gently cradled between the crook of your dominant arm and the front of your shoulder. Allow your opponent to discretely brace himself as he makes contact with the mat by landing on his hands and elbows, which he should tuck beneath his chest. Also allow your opponent to adjust the position of his head in your grip so that his neck won't hit your arm as you land.


With these safety measures, your opponent is less likely to be hurt, but accidents happen. Never perform this move without a partner who knows how to keep himself from being hurt and understands the risks involved.
 The final portion of an RKO looks seriously painful - as if you are forcing your opponent to land face-first on the mat while simultaneously forcing his neck down onto your arm. However, in this case, looks are deceiving. If everything goes perfectly, your opponent will land on his hands, elbows, and/or knees, rather than his or her face or neck, avoiding any injury besides a few minor scrapes.


Your opponent can sell his impact by "bouncing" off of the floor, mimicking the flopping motion of a body that's been slammed into the floor.
 Success! You have just performed the Randal Keith Orton (RKO)! If your opponent is KO, then you can now take advantage of the situation by attempting to quickly pin him.
Wait until your opponent is standing up.
Run towards your opponent.
Turn and jump backwards into your opponent.
Grab your opponent's head.
Lift your feet into the air.
As you fall, let your opponent brace for impact.
Hit the ground safely.
Get up.
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