WWE legend Randy Orton recently appeared on the What’s Your Story? podcast with Stephanie McMahon, where he opened up about the physical toll of his spinal fusion surgery—and the surprising weight gain that came with it.
Orton revealed that during his extended layoff, he ballooned to over 300 pounds, attributing the gain to a combination of inactivity and a sweet tooth that spiraled out of control.
“I went from like, kind of 240 to 250-ish,” Orton said. “Over the winter, I had some time off, and I was a little over 300 pounds. Like, ‘Oh, this guy gets a spinal fusion and he gains 80 pounds,’ smart.”
The Viper admitted to falling into a “Nutella phase” and indulging in holiday snacks, including massive tins of caramel and chocolate-covered popcorn.
“I killed a couple of those… servings are like 84. Killed this thing in two nights,” he laughed.
Once he was cleared to return to training, Orton completely revamped his approach. He credited a new trainer and a targeted program focused on strengthening his posterior chain to protect his spine and rebuild his physique.
“My diet changed. I gained a lot of weight while I was out, and it was bad weight,” Orton shared. “Then I stayed the same weight, but kind of changed the fat into muscle. My muscle percentage was higher.”
Now back in peak form, Orton has re-established himself as one of SmackDown’s top stars. After falling short to Cody Rhodes in the King of the Ring finals, Orton was confronted by a returning Drew McIntyre, setting up a highly anticipated singles showdown between the two former rivals at Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 12.
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