Could Randy Orton Return at WrestleMania 39?

By Connor Casey

Randy Orton's most recent WWE match was on the May 20, 2022, episode of Friday Night SmackDown where he and Matt Riddle dropped the Raw Tag Team Championships to The Usos in a unification match. Riddle came out on the following Raw to announce Orton would be out of action with a back injury and that his WWE career might be over. While that initially sounded like hyperbole to write Orton off TV for a while, it actually wasn't that far from the truth. Orton had to undergo fusion surgery on his lower back and updates throughout the rest of the year made it unclear how long it would take for him to be back in the ring. 

Orton has remained quiet about the situation, but then PWInsider reported there were "rumblings" backstage about Orton for the first time since his departure last week. The same outlet is now reporting that WWE is bringing Orton to Los Angeles for WrestleMania 39 weekend, though it's unclear what his role will be. 

In theory, WWE could have him show up at WrestleMania in some capacity if he's healthy enough. But Orton was thriving in his role as one-half of RK-Bro prior to his injury, so it's possible that the company won't want to bring him back until Matt Riddle is back on TV as well. "The Original Bro" was hit was a suspension late last year over a WWE Wellness Policy Violation that saw him enter rehab. It's unknown when Riddle will be back as he's been off TV for twice as long as the suspension's reported length.

What role, if any, do you think Orton will play during WrestleMania weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for full coverage of the event! 

WWE WrestleMania 39 Card (As of Now)

  • Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes
  • Unified WWE Tag Team Championships: The Usos vs. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens
  • SmackDown Women's Championship: Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley
  • Raw Women's Championship: Bianca Belair vs. Asuka
  • United States Championship: Austin Theory vs. John Cena
  • Intercontinental Championship: Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus
  • Brock Lesnar vs. Omos
  • Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul
  • Edge vs. Finn Balor (Hell in a Cell)
  • Becky Lynch, Lita & Trish Stratus vs. Damage CTRL
  • Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy vs. Viking Raiders vs. Ricochet & Braun Strowman
  • Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan vs. TBD
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