Randy Orton expands on his reaction to the Vince McMahon allegations

In an interview with SI published earlier today (Feb. 21), Randy Orton offered a few comments on the sexual abuse allegations that have been made against former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon over the past several weeks.

As he’s making the media rounds promoting Saturday’s Elimination Chamber premium live event in Australia and Sunday night’s premiere of an A&E Biography: WWE Legends episode focused on his career, Orton had a more in-depth discussion about his former boss & the scandal that surrounds McMahon with Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post.

“I’ve seen the horrible things online that I don’t want to believe because this man has done so many things for me,” Orton said in a phone interview with . “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have been given second and third chances [in WWE]. I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in now if it wasn’t for that man.

“So part of me wants to not believe it and then the other part of me understands that he could have done all these wonderful things for me and the business and created this amazing thing that will go on and on well after he’s gone, but on the other hand he’s human and he made some f–king terrible mistakes.”

McMahon has issued statements denying the allegations, and vowing to fight the sex trafficking lawsuit filed by Janel Grant in which most of them were made. Beyond that, Orton says he hasn’t had a chance to hear McMahon’s side of the story. He’s withholding judgment until he does, but agreed with Cody Rhodes who talked about the situation putting “a dark cloud” over WWE at -Royal Rumble press conference last month:

“There’s three sides to every story,” Orton said. “Their side, the other side and then the truth. I think a lot more has to come out before I can really speak on any of this. I think that would be the case for any talent that you ask, but I do know about Vince McMahon the man that I’ve known for the past 24 years personally and I owe him for everything he’s done for me.

“I say that with conviction because I won’t be in this position without a lot of help from him. But if these allegations are true, then it’s some horrible s–t right there. I’m torn. It’s hard.”