Huge Update On Randy Orton's WWE Status Heading Into WrestleMania

Given that he has been a staple of the event since 2004, a WrestleMania without Randy Orton would not feel quite right. But it also seemed to be destined to happen this year, as the multi-time world champion has been out of sight for almost a year, as he recovers from a back injury. However, WWE may not be going a WrestleMania without Orton after all. According to PWI Elite, Orton is scheduled to be at WrestleMania 39 weekend. While it has not been confirmed whether Orton will be appearing on camera on either night of WWE's flagship show, or "WWE Raw" the following Monday, it seems unlikely Orton would be flown in just to hang out backstage.

This potential good news for Orton is a sharp contrast from late 2022, when it was reported that "The Viper" had undergone back fusion surgery, a procedure that would seem to sideline him for a significant period. In February however, a report emerged that Orton had contacted a boot maker in order to design new wrestling boots, hinting that a return would be happening sooner than expected. PWI further noted that internal discussion regarding Orton's status had recently popped up again within WWE.

Prior to his disappearance, Orton had been teaming with Matt Riddle as RKBro, holding the "Raw" Tag Team Championship before dropping them to the Usos in a unification match. With Riddle also MIA from WWE at the moment, it's unclear what direction Orton would take upon his eventual return.