Bob Orton Jr.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1988–1989) After leaving the WWF, Orton took a short hiatus from wrestling, inactive until February 1988, when Orton travelled to Japan. During this time, he wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, initially working with Tyler Mane where they formed the team of the Gaspar Brothers, two hockey-masked pirates, with Bob using the ring name of Billy Gaspar while Tyler used Gully Gaspar. However, Tyler left NJPW in May of that year, so Bob got a new partner in Karl Moffat, who called himself Barry Gaspar, and who in the future, would inherit the Gaspar Pirate mask to play his "Jason The Terrible" gimmick. They won several matches together, beating the teams of Nobuhiko Takada and Antonio Inoki, Kuniaki Kobayashi and Riki Choshu, Osamu Kido and Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Hiro Saito and Super Strong Machine and many others. After the team of the Gaspar Brothers ended, Orton briefly teamed with Dick Murdoch and Scott Hall in NJPW for the Japan Cup Elimination League. After wrestling a few more matches in 1989 with a low number of victories, Orton left New Japan.

World Championship Wrestling (1989–1990) On March 30, 1989, Orton, managed by Gary Hart, made his debut with then-National Wrestling Alliance member, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), at a WCW Saturday Night taping in Atlanta, Georgia, defeating Shane Douglas. At Clash of Champions VI on April 2, Orton defeated former partner Dick Murdoch after interference from Hart. Murdoch eventually challenged Orton to a bullrope match after he had interfered in one of Orton's matches. Orton made his last appearance at a house show in Kiel, Missouri on May 25, 1990, defeating Dutch Mantell.

Second return to WWE (2005–2006) On the February 3, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, Bob Orton was announced as an inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. The following month, Orton became entangled in his son Randy's feud with The Undertaker. On the March 31 episode of SmackDown!, Orton begged The Undertaker to show mercy on his son in order to distract him long enough for his son to sneak into the ring and hit the RKO. At WrestleMania 21 on April 3, he (unsuccessfully) interfered in the match between Randy and The Undertaker, striking The Undertaker with his cast. At SummerSlam on August 21, Orton interfered in a rematch between Randy and The Undertaker, this time enabling his son to defeat The Undertaker. Orton teamed with his son at No Mercy on October 9, defeating The Undertaker in a handicap casket match. On the October 28 episode of SmackDown!, the Ortons teamed with Ken Kennedy to face Roddy Piper, Batista and Eddie Guerrero in a six-man tag team match, which they lost after Orton submitted to Piper's sleeper hold. On the December 16 episode of SmackDown!, Orton disguised himself as one of the Undertaker's druids and carried The Undertaker's signature urn to ringside as The Undertaker came to the ring to confront Randy. Orton remained at ringside after the other druids had left, distracting The Undertaker and enabling Randy to attack him. Orton then handed Randy the urn, which he used to knock The Undertaker unconscious. At Armageddon on December 18, Orton (still holding the urn) accompanied Randy to ringside for his Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker and interfered several times, but he was ultimately unable to prevent The Undertaker from delivering a Tombstone Piledriver to both Ortons and then pinning Randy. On February 13, 2006, Orton was released from WWE.

Independent circuit (1990–present) Orton made appearances for the Five Star Wrestling Federation in Baton Rouge (headed by Grizzly Smith) and began wrestling for Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1990. He teamed with Cactus Jack in a loss to Wet'N'Wild (Steve Ray and Sunny Beach) at their lone pay-per-view Beach Brawl on June 9, 1991. On June 19, 1992, Orton won the UWF Southern States Championship, but lost it three days later to Paul Orndorff. From August to November 1994, Orton made appearances for Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW), feuding with Bob Armstrong. thumb Orton (right) driving Jimmy Snuka into a turnbuckle in 2009That same year, Orton wrestled for the American Wrestling Federation (AWF). On November 29, Orton challenged Tito Santana for the AWF Championship with AWF commissioner Jim Brunzell as the special guest referee, but lost. He won a battle royal on August 18, 1996, to challenge Santana in a title rematch, but again lost. On October 5, Orton defeated Santana to win the championship, before losing it back to him later that night. Following the event, Orton retired from wrestling and sold used cars near St. Louis. On March 28, 2009, Orton appeared at the "Night of Legends" event by the International Wrestling Cartel (IWC), losing to Snuka. On October 17, Orton, accompanied by his youngest son Nathan, faced Harker Dirge for the Pro Wrestling Entertainment Championship at an Independent Hardcore Wrestling (IHW) event, losing by disqualification after Nathan attacked Dirge. In August 2010, Orton appeared for Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) at "Wrestling Legend & Loonies", losing to Bob Armstrong. At a Pro Wrestling Guerilla (PWG) event on January 29, 2011, Orton participated in a battle royal, but was eliminated by Terry Funk. He returned to JCW at the "Legends and Icons" pay-per-view on August 12, teaming with Roddy Piper to defeat Funk and Mick Foley. On August 25, 2012, Orton appeared for Wrestling Past Present Future (WPPF) to face "Cowboy" Troy Hansen in a "Cowboy versus Cowboy" match (due to Hansen also using the "Cowboy" moniker), which Orton won.

On June 16, 2013, Orton and George South lost to Tim Horner and Tom Prichard at the Brad Armstrong Memorial event. On November 16, Orton and Dirge defeated the team of Attitude, Inc. (Guy Smith and Spencer Powers) at the monthly Pro Wrestling Glory show in Maroa, Illinois. On March 21, 2015, Orton teamed with Ricky Cruz and Red River Jack in a six-man tag team match with Nikolai Volkoff as their manager, defeating Attila Khan, Bull Bronson and Chris Hargas. In April 2015, Orton won a 2-on-1 handicap match against "Iron Man" Ken Kasa and Travis Cook for the St. Louis Wrestling promotion. On May 30, 2015, Orton was the Special Guest of Pinfall Wrestling Association in Springfield, Illinois at their biggest show of the year, The Grand Wrestling Spectacle V. Orton defeated Bradley Stephens III (who was looking for a "Legend" to challenge). On July 16, 2016, Orton, Gary Jackson and Ron Powers lost to Khan, Kahagas and Vic The Bruiser in a two out-of-three falls six-man tag team match.

On March 25, 2023, Orton and Tony Atlas defeated Bradley Diggs and Lamonte Potts to win the SICW Tag Team Championship, but dropped the titles back to them on July 8, with Flash Flanagan substituting for Atlas.

He also appeared on the April 10, 2012 episode of SmackDown and was attacked by Kane (offscreen), who had been feuding with his son Randy at the time.

Orton appeared once again at Money in the Bank on June 18, 2017, situated in the front row of the crowd with fellow Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Sgt. Slaughter. During the WWE Championship match between his son Randy and champion Jinder Mahal, he was assaulted by the Singh Brothers as they were ejected from ringside, prompting Randy to attack the Singh Brothers; the distraction ultimately cost him the match.

Other media Orton appeared as a henchman in the movie Road House (1989) with Patrick Swayze and fellow wrestler Terry Funk.

Health As a teenager, Orton was diagnosed with hepatitis C, but showed no apparent symptoms and would eventually no longer recall having the disease. Over 30 years later, in the midst of his feud with his son Randy against The Undertaker, Orton was retested and it was confirmed that he still carried the disease. The Undertaker was furious that he was uninformed of Orton's illness while Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis knew of Orton's disease. At one point in their feud (during a Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon 2005), Orton spilled blood directly onto The Undertaker, which could have caused him to contract the disease.

Championships and accomplishments American Wrestling Federation AWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Men's Wrestling Award (2025) Central States Wrestling Alliance CSWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Championship Wrestling from Florida NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Bob Orton (1) and Bob Roop (2) International Championship Wrestling ICW Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (1 time) ICW Television Championship (1 time) ICW Southeastern Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Barry Orton (1), Bob Roop (1) and Tony Peters (1) Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time) - with Don Kernodle Mid-South Sports/Georgia Championship Wrestling NWA Georgia Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Dick Slater (1) and Mr. Wrestling II (1) NWA Macon Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Dick Slater Mid-South Wrestling Mid-South Mississippi Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Midwest Powerhouse Wrestling MPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Powerhouse Championship Wrestling PCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Ranked No. 121 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003. Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling SICW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tony Atlas Southeastern Championship Wrestling NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Bob Roop (1), Jerry Blackwell (1) and Ron Garvin (2) St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Universal Wrestling Federation UWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time) UWF Southern States Championship (2 times)