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3. Team Bischoff vs Team Austin – Survivor Series 2003
2 years prior to Randy Orton’s brilliant performance at the 2005 Survivor Series, a then 23-year old Viper took center stage at the 2003 version. On a night when Orton should’ve clearly been in over his head against some of the best and brightest the WWE had to offer, he flourished like never before and if it wasn’t clear before that this kid was future world champion, it was after this match.
Orton’s own team was stacked with talent as he grouped with Christian, Chris Jericho, Scott Steiner, and Mark Henry. His opponents were just as good, if not better with Shawn Michaels, The Dudley Boyz, Rob Van Dam, and Booker T. So to say that he was a boy amongst men would be an understatement and he was going into the contest without the security blanket that was his vicious stable, Evolution.
All 10 members of this match were members of the RAW brand and were doing battle on behalf of either Eric Bischoff or Stone Cold Steve Austin, the two co-General Managers of RAW who were both vying for controlling power. On paper, it seemed like Austin got the better of the talent when he put his team together especially when Michaels became his fifth guy. But Bischoff’s flyer on Orton as his final pick proved to be the key move in his war with The Rattlesnake.
The match was a back and forth war and everybody got their moments to shine. Michaels got the worst of the damage, fashioning the crimson mask after eating the metal post outside the ring. But he still managed to battle back, eliminating Christian and Jericho before finding himself alone with Orton. But as many other people had found out in the past, you mess with one member of Evolution, you mess with them all. Michaels got that message loud and clear as Batista interfered to help get Orton the pin.
That was one of the first nights that Orton looked like a legitimate superstar and that momentum has yet to be completely stopped to this day.