WWE Files to Trademark the RKO, Randy Orton’s Iconic Finisher

WWE has filed to trademark “RKO,” the name attached to Randy Orton’s signature finishing move — one of the most recognizable maneuvers in professional wrestling history.

The RKO, a variation of the cutter, has been Orton’s calling card throughout his lengthy career and has taken on a life well beyond the ring. The move became a genuine pop-culture phenomenon thanks to a wave of viral video edits in which Orton’s leaping cutter was spliced into everyday scenarios, spawning the “RKO outta nowhere” meme that spread far beyond the wrestling fanbase and introduced the move — and Orton himself — to entirely new audiences.

By filing to trademark the name, WWE is moving to formally lock down the intellectual property surrounding one of its most marketable in-ring concepts. Trademarking finishing move names is not unprecedented for the company; WWE has pursued similar protections for other notable names and terms connected to its talent and programming over the years.

Orton, a 14-time world champion and one of the longest-tenured performers in the company’s history, has been associated with the RKO virtually his entire main-roster career. The move’s combination of sudden execution and crowd-pleasing impact has made it a consistent highlight in arenas worldwide for over two decades.

With the trademark filing now on record, WWE appears intent on ensuring the RKO’s commercial and legal identity remains firmly under its umbrella going forward.