WWE top star Randy Orton has been on a 16-month break due to an injury that is threatening his career. Now a mobile phone video is fuelling hopes of a comeback soon.
Is 14-time WWE and World Champion Randy Orton back soon?
A video released by wrestling portal WrestleOps on X (formerly Twitter) is fuelling speculation that the long-injured top star could be back soon.
A fan who recorded the clip spotted the 43-year-old outside the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, the show-fighting market leader’s performance and training facility. In the past, such sightings have been the harbinger of an imminent return.
Complementing the clip, the well-connected Fightful medium also reports that Orton’s car had been parked at the Performance Center on and off “for a while lately. “
Appears that Randy Orton is at the WWE PC today.
(Video sent to me by a fan there) pic.twitter.com/98hvM4WOMd
– Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) September 19, 2023
Randy Orton’s doctors reportedly advised career-ending
For almost a year the “Viper” has been on hiatus with a serious back injury, after a few months it had come to light that there were concerns it could force the 43-year-old into retirement. Father Bob Orton also reported this year that Randy’s doctors had advised him to end his career – but let it be known that he would not necessarily follow the advice.
Randy Orton had competed in his last match for WWE to date last May, when he was enjoying an acclaimed new lease of life in Team RK-Bro with partner Matt Riddle. After Orton’s injury, partner Riddle addressed the fans on camera with an emotional speech, already raising the question of whether Orton would return.
The “Legend Killer” was supposed to be Roman Reigns’ SummerSlam opponent in the summer of 2022 – his place was taken by Brock Lesnar instead. Last November, Orton underwent serious fusion surgery on his lower back.
Orton has struggled with shoulder and back injuries throughout his career. Adding to the physical wear and tear, according to his own account, was his famous finisher move – the RKO, where Orton does a jumped-in landing on his back.
Should Orton now actually return, there could be a reunion of RK-Bro – and with it possibly a new push for Riddle, who has been in the negative headlines several times in the past year: WWE took him “off the road” for drug problems and required him to undergo therapy, according to consistent media reports.
Currently, Riddle is taking a break again, as has been reported in the meantime, not because of the recent turmoil surrounding an incident at the New York airport, but due to illness.
