Randy Orton played rumor-killer on social media after a report made the rounds claiming he was sidelined with a significant injury. The athlete, who hasn't been around since he lost to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42, provided some supposed clarity on why he's been out of the WWE since then.
This all started after a report from Wrestling Observer Radio alleged that Orton was sidelined with a significant back injury (via Sports Illustrated), and that the assumed injury is why he didn't win his 15th championship title at WrestleMania. However, the Viper seemed to dispute the news after replying to a since-deleted post sharing the news on X:
Lmao just milking it guys, leave me alone I’m trying to enjoy my summer before I come back and take that #15
Hilarious response from Randy Orton, who makes it sound like he's taking time off from chasing a fifteenth championship so he can play more Elden Ring. I guess there's no better way to kill a rumor than to directly respond to it, even if he confirmed he had an injury.
WrestleMania Viewers All Had The Same Complaint, And WWE Needs To Listen
WWE fans may be relieved to hear Randy Orton joke about the injury, given the issues he had with his back not that long ago. He was sidelined for a year from 2022 to late 2023 after getting back surgery, with some, including his own father, having doubts about his ability to return.
He's continued to perform in the WWE since, delivering RKO's to big names despite the popular finisher likely contributing to his back issues. It seems like a risky move for a living legend who hopes to continue wrestling until he turns fifty, which is still four years out.
Of course, wrestling fans are rooting for him to hit that milestone and remain in healthy enough shape to have another title run or two. Personally, I would love to see him surpass John Cena's record-breaking sixteenth championship, provided he has the health to do so.
Back injuries are no joke, and wrestling fans know how much they've impacted the quality of life of many former wrestlers. The late Hulk Hogan even said in his docuseries that if he could change one thing about his career, he'd opt out of doing the leg drop, due to how it slowly injured his back.
I understand that the RKO is a crowd-pleaser and possibly one of the most popular finishers in wrestling. That said, I'd sooner see Orton finish out his career on top and not miss significant chunks of time dealing with his back. Of course, it's not really up to anyone but Randy Orton to make that decision, so we'll see what he does once he bounces back from milking this injury.
Monday Night Raw streams live on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm hype for Orton to eventually get back in action, whenever that may be, and finally get back to pursuing that 15th title.
