It has been over a year since we saw Randy Orton on WWE television, with him being sidelined with an injury since May 2022 after undergoing lower back fusion surgery.
With it now being nearly 15 months since the Viper graced our screens, fans have been speculating about a potential return for the future Hall of Famer at SummerSlam this weekend.
Fightful has provided several updates on Orton’s injury over the past year, and they have a small update on his status.
Per Fightful Select (subscription required), sources within WWE creative have said that, as of this past week, Orton had not been factored into WWE creative plans in any capacity.
Fightful says that they have heard that he is not yet cleared for in-ring training or action, and those that Fightful spoke to have said that there hasn’t been any extensive conversation about what his plans may be.
As of now, before he has done any in-ring training, he is planning on making a return to the ring, though a lower back fusion isn’t a usual surgery among pro wrestlers, and is ‘uncharted territory’ for many.
Doctors have told Orton that wrestling in the future isn’t a good idea, but he still intends on making a return, and has reportedly resumed lifting, with Fightful being told he is ‘huge’ as a result.
Orton has resumed working out, but has yet to resume bumping, with him likely to be brought into the WWE Performance Center to do so.
In regards to a potential SummerSlam return, a WWE source told Fightful to ‘not count on it’, and that he had not been factored into any creative that they had heard of.
If Orton is planning an imminent return to WWE, it is being kept very quiet.
A segment involving Grayson Waller and a ‘WWE legend’ has reportedly been pitched for the show this weekend.
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