Following a severe bruising at the hands of Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista, the biggest 24 hours in the career of WWE’s youngest-ever World Champion became WWE.com’s No. 8 Hardest Hitting Betrayal in history.

Years before the “Age of Orton” first dawned, the Legend Killer rode into SummerSlam 2004 solo and – without any assistance from his cohorts – found himself the proud bearer of the much-coveted World Heavyweight Title. Though he seemed to have the support of Evolution in this critical championship match and the supposed blessing of The Game, the next night on Raw told a much different tale.

On pay-per-view, the Legend Killer actually birthed a brand-new legend in himself, and he solidified his conquest with a successful title defense on Monday Night Raw. After personally involving themselves in the contest, Evolution immediately engulfed the winded champion, distributing congratulatory hugs and high-fives.

But deception lay beneath the manufactured grins of The Cerebral Assassin, Flair and Batista. After a half-year spent alongside sports-entertainment’s past, present and future, Orton was hoisted high by The Animal in celebration, with the World Heavyweight gold gleaming under the hot arena lights. While the champion glowed atop his soon-to-be former ally, the group’s chief constituent, Triple H, suddenly inverted a sign of encouragement – a thumbs-up – into a signal to terminate Orton’s Evolution membership.

The Animal dropped Orton, allowing the three Superstars to mercilessly dismantle him. After connecting the World Heavyweight Title with the champion’s forehead, Triple H slapped Orton around, barked in his crimson-smeared face and landed a mat-denting Pedigree.

Though the attack itself sent a clear enough message, The Cerebral Assassin then picked up the gold – the apparent source of The Game’s acrimony and subsequent treachery – and bellowed, “This … is … Evolutionnnnn!”

A victim of the same type of attack he’d waged upon so many others for months, the Legend Killer’s final moments as a card-carrying Evolutionary were painfully memorable, ranking among the foulest betrayals ever.

Related Links:
- Photos – List This! – Hardest Hitting Betrayals #8
- Video – Evolution turns on Randy Orton – Raw 8/16/2004

I thought this one would be higher in the list… like #4 or so. Ah well, lol.

i was so mad when evalution turned on randy orton hhh was selfish and in the it was randys time and he couldnt handle it. that was the shock felt around the world. it hurt my feelings to see randy orton in the ring like that. but the past is behind him and hes a much better star then everyone it doesnt matter what title you hold it matters the kind of person you are and what you accomplished and randy ortons done it all.

I think randy is the greatest superstar in the WWE and he has a character nobody have. He should become a hero. If the WWE would change his verbal a slight bit the whole world would like him. He is a slight bit too cokky

i knew that randy was gonna win the world title summerslam 04
and i knew that evolution was gonna kick him out WAY before the ppv like weeks
its common sense when you think about it
i admire all 4 of those guys so i dont ‘hate’ them
i hated their character that they played back then.

Hey,
im glad that they did this, no, not to say i disrespect Orton and want him hurt, im just saying that after this happening Orton has realy grown in the WWE. he realy has not trusted anyone in the WWE that much, other than Edge. (Rated RKO, FOREVER!!) he has become, truly, a One Man Dinasty.
Randy Orton if u read this, i want u to get well and get back to WWE!!! LOVE YOU RANDY!!!

Shame on the for tossing Randy out of there group like he was some piece of trash..Randy should have been treated with a whole lot of respect from them and for his victory win of the World title..But no I could sense a sign of a bit jeliousy from them cause of Randy at made history of being the youngest in the wwe at age 24 to win something that Great..Oh well I hope Randy gets that belt back again and I know he will..I can’t wait!!!

Memorable moment for sure, both good and bad.