The 14-time world champion, Randy Orton, is one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. After being in WWE for more than two decades, he plans to continue wrestling for one another decade. He holds the record for having the most number of matches in WWE history. However, 2024 has been one of the most challenging years of his illustrious career.
Randy Orton’s Return to WWE in 2023
Randy Orton stayed out of WWE for 1.5 years due to a serious back injury. Fans eagerly awaited his return, which finally happened at the Survivor Series 2023 premium live event. His return created significant excitement among the fans, especially as he was initially planned to fight Roman Reigns, the Tribal Chief, who was then the undisputed WWE Champion at the time.
A Tough Year for The Viper: Premium Live Event Losses
However, the way Orton was booked immediately upon his return and how he is being booked now are different. Since Randy Orton’s return at Survivor Series 2023, he has lost all matches in premium live events. These include:
- Royal Rumble 2024: Randy Orton lost in a fatal four-way match against Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, and LA Knight for the Undisputed WWE Universal title.
- Elimination Chamber 2024: Drew McIntyre defeated Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens, LA Knight, Logan Paul and Randy Orton for the number 1 Contender ship for the WWE World Heavyweight championship.
- WrestleMania XL: Logan Paul defeated Randy and Owens for the United States title in a triple threat match.
- King of the Ring 2024: Orton lost to Gunther in the final match of the tournament .
- Backlash 2024: Orton, teaming up with Kevin Owens, lost to The Bloodline( Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga).
- Money in the Bank 2024: Orton, teaming with Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, lost to The Bloodline (Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga).
- Bash in Berlin 2024: Gunther defeated Randy Orton to retain the World Heavyweight title.
Diminished Storylines: Orton’s Decline in WWE Programming
More than the losses, the handling of Randy Orton’s character and storylines has been underwhelming. Orton was a huge fan favorite before his injury. Currently, he doesn’t even stand closer at that same level of prominence. His involvement in less compelling storylines has diminished his impact.
Adding to the disappointment, Orton has been absent from WWE programming since the November 8, 2024, episode of Friday Night SmackDown, where he was attacked by former tag team partner Kevin Owens. WWE later revealed that Orton had been diagnosed with cervical cord neurapraxia, with no clear timeline for his return.
Randy Orton Return in 2025?
It has been nearly two months since Randy Orton last appeared on WWE programming. According to Sportskeeda’s Dr. Chris Featherstone on X, Orton is not scheduled to be part of WWE Raw’s debut episode on Netflix, set for January 6, 2025, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
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Fans remain hopeful for a stronger 2025. Rumors suggest Orton could face John Cena during Cena’s farewell tour, which would be a fitting way to bring The Viper back to the forefront of WWE.