Major former WWE Superstar says he had backstage heat with Randy Orton

Road Dogg revealed that he "butted heads" with Randy Orton during his in-ring run with the company in 2012-13.

The tag team legend returned to WWE after a difficult phase in his personal life, experiencing a successful time alongside long-time partner Billy Gunn.

Randy Orton, one of WWE's top guys at the time, apparently had a clash of egos with the New Age Outlaws behind the scenes.

Road Dogg recalled he and Gunn not getting along with The Viper backstage even though they wrestled multiple matches on WWE's live event circuit.

Here's what the WWE Hall of Famer stated on his Oh...You Didn't Know podcast:

"At this point, me and Randy Orton, me, Billy, and Randy Orton are kind of butting heads a little bit, and it's just because Randy's the man, and he's been the man for a while, and Randy is the last one on the bus and Randy is Randy, you know what I mean? I was young in sobriety, and I was older in my wrestling, and I was like, 'Why are we waiting on him? If me and Billy are here, so should he.' So, that's my ego and my pride talking, and he has the same thing. He's an alpha with ego and pride too." (from 1:00:38 to 1:01:14)

Road Dogg said his issues with Randy Orton even affected their matches as WWE booked them to team up together during the WrestleMania Revenge Tour in 2013.

While Orton and the Outlaws shared some tense moments, the superstars eventually ironed out their differences. Brian James took accountability for the heat with Orton and said his "ego and pride" came in the way of their work:

"We butted heads a little bit on that tour, but it was after that tour that me and him kind of saw each other and said, 'Are we good, man?' But it didn't help we worked some matches and it kind of perpetuated it even in the matches and the execution of the matches, or so I thought, and looking back, it was me being egotistical and thinking he should bow down. Oh, we're the old-timers, you've got to bend a little bit, and he was saying, like, 'No, you bend.' I get it, you know what I mean." (from 1:01:15 to 1:01:48)

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Road Dogg now has a great relationship with Randy Orton

Road Dogg had a much-needed conversation with Randy Orton, and the two have developed a solid rapport in the wrestling business over the past few years.

The six-time tag team champion revealed that he's still in regular contact with The Apex Predator and reminded listeners about how their legendary fathers had some undeniable history together:

"Again, we talked back, and it was, like, we're good, dude. And now, Randy and I have actually a great relationship where we stay in touch. My dad and his dad had a lot of history together, too, so I got of common with Randy, and it took a minute to get past our egos to realize that, you know." (from 1:01:49 to 1:02:10)

Road Dogg's fascinating story is another example of Randy Orton's remarkable evolution in WWE, both as a performer and a human being.

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If you use any quotes from the article, please credit the Oh...You Didn't Know podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.