WWE officials are said to be concerned about veteran Superstar Randy Orton’s future.
Orton and Riddle haven’t appeared on WWE TV since losing the Title Unification match to Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos on SmackDown Live on May 20. After the match, The Bloodline beat down RK-Bro at ringside in a post-match angle. Orton had been “having a really hard time with his back lately,” according to Riddle, who added that he “could barely walk” before their loss to The Usos on May 23 RAW.
Orton was “currently undergoing consultations with neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons to determine the extent of his injury and to recommend course of treatment,” WWE said on SmackDown on May 27.
Orton has been battling with a back injury for quite some time, according to Fightful Select, to the point that he had work done to improve his condition before the match to unify the tag team belts on. There is no information on the extent of the work that was completed.
Despite having some treatment done on him, Orton’s condition has worsened, and WWE officials now believe that he will have to undergo surgery. According to reports from within WWE, if surgery is required, Orton will be gone for the rest of the year. It was also mentioned that the precise nature of the injury is unknown.
While Riddle’s feud with The Bloodline continues, and he will face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns on this week’s SmackDown, Orton is not currently part of any creative plans. As previously stated, he was scheduled to play a significant role this summer, and was even meant to face Reigns at SummerSlam on July 31 in Nashville. Orton was rumored to be in the works for some of Riddle’s current storyline with The Bloodline.
Orton’s name was listed on a recent internal injury report, and his immediate future with the company is still uncertain.
Since the night before the loss against The Usos, Orton has remained silent on social media.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more.
