Randy Orton Attacked By Fan During WWE Event In South Africa; Fan Arrested, WWE Releases Statement [VIDEO]
A WWE event in South Africa turned scary on Tuesday, when a crazed fan stormed the ring and attacked wrestling superstar Randy Orton from behind.
The incident took place at the WWE’s live event in Cape Town, South Africa, TMZ reports. As Orton entered the ring and played to the crowd, an unruly fan rushed into the ring and punched the 33-year-old in the groin, briefly knocking him to the canvas. A WWE fan managed to capture a video of the unprovoked attack.
In the video, Orton can be seen standing on one of the ring’s turnbuckles, with his back to the fan. The fan then sneaks up behind Orton, striking him in the groin and drawing stunned reactions from the Cape Town crowd. Security quickly knocked the crazed man to the ground and out of the ring, but not before Orton retaliated by attempting to kick the man in the head.
After the attack, a WWE official confirmed to TMZ that the fan’s interference was not a scheduled part of the show. The WWE addressed the incident Tuesday in a statement posted to the company’s official website.
“WWE.com has learned that Randy Orton was violently attacked by an audience member during a SmackDown World Tour Live Event in Cape Town, South Africa, yesterday evening,” the statement reads. “Footage of the attack was captured by a WWE fan and posted to YouTube, and shows the perpetrator striking Orton from behind. The matter is currently under investigation by the local authorities, and the South African fan is being held in jail pending criminal charges.”
While it is not yet known if Orton sustained an injury during the attack, he was reportedly examined by doctors, TMZ reports. Authorities have yet to release the name of the fan responsible for the cheap shot.
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