WWE has had nothing but problems lately with big-time talent getting injured and needing to miss time. Well, things just got worse. One of their major main event superstars, who is already out due to injury, will miss at least three to six months more due to needing neck surgery. It looks like Randy Orton will not be appearing at WrestleMania 32 come April.
According to WrestleZone , Randy Orton’s in-ring time away is going to be extended. He was already scheduled to miss four to six months due to having shoulder surgery that first took him off of WWE television about two months ago.
Doctors told Orton that he’s going to need to have neck surgery to clean out some bone chips in his neck. It’s a routine procedure, but still one that will sideline him for another three to six months.
The neck surgery procedure for Orton is not going to be scheduled until after his shoulder heals from the first surgery. Doctors will need to determine that he’s healed up enough from the first procedure before doing the work on his neck.
Now, even though it’s seen as a routine surgery, there is a small possibility that more damage could be found in Orton’s neck. If that ends up happening, he could need to have fusion surgery which would end up sidelining him for a lot longer, but doctors don’t believe that will end up happening.
The loss of Randy Orton is just one of many for WWE in the past couple of months including Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Big Show, Lana, Daniel Bryan , and many others. Rusev just recently returned from injury, but there are still a lot of big names not available for WWE right now.
John Cena is also out, but it’s due to requested time off and he’s not expected back until late December. Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker are also still on their reduced schedules but may be showing up more than usual due to the major talent loss.
Orton was originally written off of WWE television in late October when he was attacked by The Wyatt Family. As Cageside Seats reported, WWE soon acknowledged that Orton needed shoulder surgery and would be out of commission for four to six months.
The original hope was that he may be healed enough to be back by WrestleMania 32 in early April, but there is really no chance of that happening now. There hadn’t really been any plans in place for Orton at the event, but he was expected to be used in one big match at least.
WWE has been rumored to be giving “ big names ” a call to see if they would come in and help during the major absences. Ratings had been dropping and the mass loss of talent came almost all at once, which caused the company to begin scrambling.
Build-up for WrestleMania 32 is actually already starting, and it’s really going to kick into high gear in January when the Royal Rumble arrives.
Neck injuries are making a lot of people in WWE nervous because so many have caused big names to either lighten their schedule or retire completely. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had problems with his neck, and Edge actually had to give up wrestling entirely due to his neck injury.
Of course, the most recent problem was that of Daniel Bryan, whose career status is still up in the air.
The reveal that Randy Orton needs to have neck surgery is worrisome, but doctors really do believe it is only a typical and simple procedure. Still, it’s yet another main event talent that WWE will have to be without for a while.
[Image via WWE]