Latest on Randy Orton’s WWE Status

Randy Orton has been off of WWE television for almost a full year. Following his and tag partner Matt Riddle’s loss to The Usos in May 2022, resulting in Jimmy and Jey becoming the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, the 14-time world champion went down with a back injury. While this injury was not expected to be significant, as WWE had planned to have Orton headlined WWE SummerSlam that July against Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, the Viper required surgery and consequently an extended time on the shelf. Rumblings since then have suggested that Orton will need a part-time in-ring schedule going forward or to retire from competition entirely.

While Orton’s future remains uncertain right now, what’s next for him is apparently being discussed. PWInsider Elite reports that there has been “rumblings” about Orton within WWE over the past couple of weeks. It’s worth noting that Orton was not in backstage conversations for a number of months due to his injury. It’s unclear as to if these “rumblings” are regarding Orton coming back to action.

If these whispers are indeed about Orton’s in-ring return, that is likely something that would be set into motion after WWE WrestleMania 39. The Showcase of the Immortals’s card is all but locked in at this point, and barring any surprise segments or mystery additions to existing matches, there is not much room for Orton on the show.

That said, WWE typically enters a soft reset after WrestleMania every year, meaning Orton could fit nicely into either Monday Night Raw or WWE SmackDown plans. He has unfinished business with The Bloodline, as both Reigns and the Usos stole victories over him in his final weeks before going down with an injury. Orton’s tag partner, Matt Riddle, is also off of television at the moment as he is in rehab. There is no word on when Riddle will be back on WWE TV, but the Original Bro teased last month that it would be “soon.”

Another option for Orton’s return lies within the world title scene, specifically if Cody Rhodes walks out of SoFi Stadium as champion. Orton and Rhodes have a long-running history, as they made up two-thirds of the generational stable Legacy in the late 2000s. The two shared one in-ring segment together since Rhodes returned to WWE, but injuries to each man have kept them apart since.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on Orton’s WWE status.