Jim Ross says he had to convince Vince McMahon to give Randy Orton a shot with WWE.

Orton is a surefire future WWE Hall of Famer. “The Viper” has grown throughout the years to become one of the most renowned performers in the wrestling industry. There was a time, however, when it looked like Orton wasn’t going to even get a shot at fame.

On a recent edition of the Grilling JR Podcast, Ross explained why Vince McMahon needed to be convinced to hire Orton despite the fact that he was a third-generation talent.

“Every recruiting story is different. I had a hard sell to get Randy Orton hired because of his negative exit from the Marines, and Vince, being a strong patriot, didn’t like how that worked out with Randy in the military. I said, ‘Didn’t you get a second chance, [Vince]? Well, what’s the difference with this kid? He’s third generation. If he hits, look what we have. If he doesn’t hit, I can get rid of him in 90 days notice. What do we have to lose?’”

“He’s going to end his career as one of the greatest talents. Hall of Famer, no doubt, but also going to be regarded by his peers as one of the greatest in-ring workers. It worked out well.”

It’s safe to say that McMahon made the right move to ultimately drop his concern over “The Viper’s” military history. While Orton was said to have not matured right away in his WWE run, he eventually settled down and realized his responsibilities in representing the company.