Former WWE Star Maven Discusses Relationship With Randy Orton, Backstage Reputation

After winning the first season of Tough Enough in 2001, Maven's WWE run lasted four years, when he became a three-time Hardcore Champion and appeared at two WrestleManias before being released in 2005. Along the way, he formed several friendships, one of whom was WWE legend Randy Orton, often traveling with "The Viper" from show to show.

In the most recent video on his YouTube channel, Maven reacted to a list of WWE stars who were "jerks in real life," with Orton being one of them. Maven defended "The Viper" as he explained how he only trusted certain people and viewed him differently because they were friends.

"Even before he was a superstar as he is now, he's the one guy that always got a reputation for his, let's just say, backstage attitude. I rode with Randy for the better part of two to three years and he was one of my best friends in the business, so admittedly I'm viewing him through rose-tinted glasses. The Randy that I used to know, he had a very, very small Rolodex in his phone of people that he would go to that he would trust. And I'm assuming now that he has a family, that Rolodex has gotten even smaller of people that he no longer trusts. Hell, I'm not even on that list anymore." 

Maven also mentioned that multiple people have told him Orton has changed over the years and now has a much better reputation than he did in the early part of his career.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Maven Huffman" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.