Randy Orton to be "on the shelf for a while", predicts WWE legend, following major Triple H decision
WWE Superstar Randy Orton might not return to television from injury for a while, believes wrestling legend Bully Ray. The Apex Predator was brutally injured at the hands of Kevin Owens on last week's SmackDown.
Cody Rhodes teaming up with Roman Reigns to face The Bloodline at Bad Blood 2024 has sparked a feud between Randy Orton and Kevin Owens. The Viper took The American Nightmare's side after KO attacked him in a backstage segment.
Orton and Owens brawled at the 2024 WWE Crown Jewel Premium Live Event but things got worse between them on last week's episode of SmackDown. During the show, KO hit a scary piledriver on The Apex Predator, leaving the latter injured.
During a recent edition of the Busted Open podcast, host Dave LaGreca asked Bully Ray whether there was a possibility of Randy Orton getting involved in The Bloodline's Survivor Series: WarGames match.
Ray said he did not want to see Orton quickly return from injury. The Hall of Famer also mentioned that the Triple H-led creative team's decision to make the piledriver seem legit was a great move and the story could get ruined if The Viper returned too soon to television.
"I would love to see Randy [Orton] stay out for a little bit of time to really sell that piledriver. The last thing I wanna see is Randy back on TV quickly. The WWE did a great job of making that piledriver seem like a big deal as they should as that move deserves that credibility and that respect. So, I would love to see Randy on the shelf for a while. For a month to really sell that injury. Maybe Randy [is] in a neck brace, I don't know if that's too much," Ray said. [10:03 - 10:43]
Check out the full podcast below.
Bill Apter wants Randy Orton to be out of action till WWE WrestleMania 41
During a recent edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk, Bill Apter said if he was behind Randy Orton and Kevin Owens' storyline, he would have The Viper out until WWE WrestleMania 41 to perfectly sell the injury after the piledriver.
"He would have to be out. If I was the booker, I would have him out until WrestleMania. Nobody sees him."
It remains to be seen what the Stamford-based promotion has planned for Randy Orton's future.
Please credit the Busted Open podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling if you use quotes from the first half of this article.