'Cowboy' Bob Orton ready to stampede into Siloam for tag match

One third of a professional wrestling dynasty will be grappling for bragging rights in Siloam Springs this weekend.

"Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr., son of the late wrestling legend Bob Orton Sr., and the father of World Wrestling Entertainment Superstar Randy Orton, will be in Siloam Springs on Saturday to compete in a tag team match.

The event is one of several matches being promoted by Mid-States Wrestling and begins at 7 p.m. in the Arkansas National Guard Armory, located at 1333 E. Main St., in Siloam Springs.

Orton, who currently resides near St. Louis, has stayed busy this past year with other MSW events across the area.

"It's been fun," he said. "They call and ask if I want to compete, and off I go."

With a professional wrestling career that began in 1972, most other wrestlers his age have hung up their wrestling tights in favor of more behind-the-scenes roles, but Orton said he can't get the business out of his blood.

"I've never technically retired," he laughed. "I just keep wrestling as long as my body and my wife will let me."

One highlight of Orton's career came in 1985 when he managed the tag team of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff at Madison Square Garden in New York City when they went up against the team of Mr. T and Hulk Hogan in the first WrestleMania.

"We could see the writing on the wall back then," he said of the increasing popularity of a nationwide wrestling territory in the World Wrestling Federation -- as the WWE was known back then. "The smaller territories couldn't compete with wrestling on such a large scale. It was a whole new world."

Orton, a member of the WWE's Hall of Fame, said that Piper, who died in 2015, had the same energy and drive in his personal life as well as in the wrestling ring.

"He was a really great guy," Orton added. "What you saw on television was exactly what you got in person. I sure do miss him."

Tickets for the event start at $15 and are available online at www.mswtickets.com or at Bargain Center in Siloam Springs. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 858-848-SLAM.

Sports on 02/19/2020