Randy Orton Talks Posting AEW Teases On Social Media, If He Was Really Planning To Leave WWE

WWE's "Apex Predator" and multi-time WWE Champion Randy Orton was a guest on this week's edition of After The Bell.

During his discussion with host Corey Graves, Orton opened up about why he was tweeting about All Elite Wrestling before ultimately signing a new five-year deal with WWE.

"I did sign a [five-year] deal and I'm very happy about it," Randy said. "I was just having fun and I've been more so now than ever aware of other guys like Will Ospreay, and other guys that work with Cody Rhodes, and I'm watching a little more wrestling. I'm not in the WWE bubble as much as I've been for almost the past two decades, and I'm learning to appreciate other styles a little more instead of quickly seeing something that isn't how I would do it, or isn't how I would sell it, and I'm realizing that in it's own way, it's good."

Orton admitted that despite the teases, he always saw himself staying with WWE.

"This might be upsetting for some people but I never really saw myself leaving WWE. To me, it was about getting to a point where I'm happy and with what I'm doing to my body, the amount of time that I'm gone from my family – in the end, it's all going to be worth it. And that's where I'm at right now, so I'm definitely happy being a WWE Superstar," Orton finished.

Orton has been involved in a Twitter spat with AEW President Tony Khan this week, who joked about Orton using Twitter for leverage in contract negotiations. Khan also referenced Orton using the "N word" during a live stream on Twitch last month.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit After The Bell with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.