Eric Bischoff Calls WWE Star The 'Purest Sports Entertainer' In The Last 30 Years

Randy Orton is the newest addition to the "WWE SmackDown" locker room, after returning from over a year on the injured list, recovering from surgery to repair a lingering back injury. Former WCW President Eric Bischoff is thrilled to see the former WWE Champion back in the ring, saying there is only one wrestler to whom Orton is a peer.

"I think Randy Orton is the purest sports entertainer/professional wrestler ... in the last 30 years," Bischoff professed on "83 Weeks." "Other than Shawn Michaels, is there anybody smoother than Randy Orton?" Bischoff goes on to laud the timing, positioning, and execution of Orton, as well as his facial expressions throughout a match. "He is the purest form professional wrestler that I think I've seen in the last 30 years," Bischoff gushed. "He's flawless. He is the wrestling definition of 'smooth' and I'm so happy to see him back."

WWE shares Bischoff's enthusiasm for Orton's return, with a recent report saying the company was over the moon with how Orton's Survivor Series return and performances on "WWE Raw" and "SmackDown" have been received. The company is also happy with the great physical condition in which Orton returned. Bischoff hopes that Orton will be riding this latest run with WWE as long as he possibly can, but it is currently unclear what is happening with Orton's contract after his 18-month hiatus. WWE has often added time to wrestlers' contracts in the event that they miss time for injury, like Orton did.