Update on Randy Orton's injury: WWE announces a six month layoff

by Sergio Hernandez on Dec 28, 2011 9:05 PM EST in WWE

It appears the earlier scuttlebutt was true.

According to The Wrestling Observer, earlier tonight during a house show in the "Motor City," WWE announcer Tony Chimel informed the Detroit, MI audience that Randy Orton was injured and would be out for six months. He also let the crowd know that refunds would be available upon request.

If there was any doubt that this was part of a storyline, the refund offer pretty much plays Earthquake to the theory's Damien. In short, it squashes it.

This is a major blow to the WWE and also Smackdown. With an unproven draw like Daniel Bryan as the World Heavyweight Champion, I'm sure Vince McMahon and company were hedging their bets on Orton's star power to help keep ratings and house show attendance up. While some argue that this turn of events might be a boon for "The American Dragon," it could in fact end his title run sooner than previously planned.

During today's radio show, Dave Meltzer also opined that they could bring Raw talent over which was an idea several here at Cageside had as well. This could help Bryan's chances of holding onto the belt but the loss of Smackdown's biggest star for half a year is sure to have far reaching ramifications.

Of course, this still could -- and I emphasis could -- still be a work. The WWE could have agreed to take a short term financial hit on the house show circuit by planting a false injury story -- or rather, an embellished one -- in order to shock everyone on Jan. 29 when Orton shows up to a hometown Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant.

Having just typed that, it doesn't sound as crazy as previously thought. There still isn't an official word from WWE.com and even the most tapped in wrestling insiders have yet to pull the trigger on declaring this a storyline or not.

It would actually shows a lot of gumption and foresight on the part of the WWE and if this is indeed their plan, I have to say I wholeheartedly approve.

What do you think, Cagesiders?

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Read More: injury, wwe, smackdown, raw, cm punk, randy orton, tony chimel

Comments

punk to smackdown is the most logical thing to do

by chaggo on Dec 28, 2011 9:21 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, move the champion on the Raw brand to Smackdown

/sarcasm

There is no way that Punk moves to Smackdown anytime soon. He’s becoming the new face of the WWE and Raw is their flagship brand.

by hfl2013 on Dec 28, 2011 10:27 PM EST up reply actions

Oh, it's possible

It’s damn possible.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 28, 2011 11:28 PM EST up reply actions

lol dude

you talk like championships actually matter in there, they can take the belt from him anytime they want and put it on cena again like they always do, in fact, word in the internet is they were planing that already, now with smackdown lackin star power, its even more likely to happen

by chaggo on Dec 28, 2011 11:49 PM EST up reply actions

Championships do matter there

especially when you’re talking about the guys that have serious power over moves like that. Guys like Cena, Orton, and Triple H. Punk has moved into that group of guys that no longer can be just told he’s dropping the belt to Cena without his approval.

by hfl2013 on Dec 29, 2011 9:49 AM EST up reply actions

I would believe that this is just a work for the Royal Rumble surprise

but it just doesn’t seem like something the WWE would do.

by hfl2013 on Dec 28, 2011 9:30 PM EST reply actions

I earlier said..

That this is a work.. I still stand by that. However, I think it could also be a combo of the 2. Orton might have a bit of an injury. Hell, it could be a 4 month or 3 month deal.. but he could easily be 29 or 30 in the Rumble.. win & then be limited for a while after with a decreased work load, helping get him better for Mania. As much as WWe wants Randy for Mania, Randy wants that pay day too.. so I see them working together no matter what the issue as long as its not life threatening to protect him and get them where they want to go.

by Rawuncutnxrated on Dec 28, 2011 9:31 PM EST reply actions

If they're faking a 6-month spinal injury for a "work"

Then Creative truly is as pitiful as we’ve determined. I’m not allowed to use the phrasing necessary to describe my anger should that be the case. And it wouldn’t surprise me a bit.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 28, 2011 9:40 PM EST reply actions

Is that where you draw the line with professional wrestling?

Its one of the most common things to see fake injuries popping up to help out a story. While a slipped disk isn’t as simple to treat as a broken arm or fractured ankle, it is an injury that is relatively common in the sports world and isn’t a death sentence or a major risk of paralysis. I wouldn’t consider it taboo to use as part of an angle.

by hfl2013 on Dec 28, 2011 10:32 PM EST up reply actions

Have you ever been to a show where someone was legit hurt? A beatdown for a injury angle is one thing, working the net is disgusting, it’s why people don’t view wrestlers as human.

by MVP Raiders on Dec 29, 2011 10:17 AM EST via Android app up reply actions

Well lets look at some of the possiblities here

1. He is legitimately hurt and will be out for 6 months. Nothing to see here really.

2. He is hurt, but they are exaggerating how long he’ll be out to use this as an opportunity for the surprise Rumble entrance. I don’t see anything wrong with this personally. We’re not entitled to know a guy’s medical reports, so I don’t see anything wrong with the WWE planting some false information, which will make his Royal Rumble moment in his hometown CM Punk MiTB huge.

3. He isn’t hurt at all, at least not to the point where he would miss any time and its all a work. Its a bit shadier, but where is the harm? We’re constantly getting worked by the wrestling business. If they were saying something like Orton may likely never walk again or say he has to retire because of this and have him pop up at the Rumble, that’s going too far. I don’t think this would be going too far.

by hfl2013 on Dec 29, 2011 10:26 AM EST up reply actions

Signs point...

To there definitely being an injury.

Maybe it’s minor and will keep Orton on the shelf for 4-6 weeks instead of 6 months.

Wrestling is all about sleight of hand, how would that be any different?

Twitter

by Sergio Hernandez on Dec 29, 2011 12:18 PM EST up reply actions

If you have to rely on a "surprise return"...

You suck at Creative. We’re waiting to find out who’s “returning” next week, do we really need to have the next one lined up already?

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 28, 2011 11:31 PM EST reply actions

Oops

Reply to hfl2013.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 28, 2011 11:32 PM EST up reply actions

They don't "have" to rely on a surprise return

but its pretty silly to disregard the ratings and interest boost you get from any well promoted surprise. Even if Raw is drawing 5 million viewers with ease, is it on Creative to not be willing to get an easy boost on those ratings?

And at least for me, I love a good surprise return in wrestling. Even if it is just Jericho (who I would have my money on), there is some fun to not knowing for a fact who it is and trying to figure it out based on the promos. There’s a reason I never read spoilers for Smackdown or any other show that I enjoy watching. There is fun in not knowing and the building anticipation to find out.

by hfl2013 on Dec 28, 2011 11:41 PM EST up reply actions

"well promoted surprise" is an oxymoron

I know business is business and whatnot. This is one of those times where business interferes with my entertainment. Is that OK with you? Good.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 29, 2011 12:03 AM EST up reply actions

Its not an oxymoron

Because u can promote the fact that there will be a surprise without spoiling what said suprise entails. Just FWI. And why again does it matter if he is written off of TV for a month? Its not like he’s fuckin HHH and hes going to come back in 4-6 weeks from death to compete in a sledgehammer match with man tits and a 50 year old opponent. If the payoff from this angle is Randy Orton comin back early from a slipped disk to throw 2 or 3 guys over the top rope, so be it. Carry on, WWE.

by Lexxi on Dec 29, 2011 5:48 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Someting tells me this is a disguised Welllness violation

but i’m probably wrong.

'Bama fan since birth, Niners Faithful & Hawks fan since '86, Braves fan since '90

It's the sport of kings, better than diamond rings....football.
Roll Tide Roll!
Go NIners!

by ronniemac03 on Dec 29, 2011 6:13 AM EST up reply actions

Loll iunno. The violation has hurt evan borne something terrible

And he, along with kofi, were supposed to revive the tag team division. Not saying borne is randy orton status, but orton isnt even holding a title and is embroiled in a throwaway feud that is probably just a stepping stone for barrett. No sence in masking an orton infraction to me. Then again WWE is synonimous with nonsensical these days

by Lexxi on Dec 29, 2011 6:42 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

This would not be his first violation, Orton has more power than anyone but Cena.

by MVP Raiders on Dec 29, 2011 10:20 AM EST via Android app up reply actions

While this sucks, he has been awesome on top of Smackdown for a long while now. Hope to see him get better soon enough, but the guy deserves some rest.

Greatest lover ever during the day, Trainyard Sleeper at night.

by IRodC on Dec 29, 2011 1:34 AM EST reply actions

I’m sure HHH will see this as an opportunity to push his but buddy Sheamus just because fans are to stupid to see through the bullshit. Most of the WWE sheeple will cheer for anybody the WWE pushes cause they have a hard enough time thinking for themselves. Just look at no one gave a shit about Batista but because Vince’s infatuation with big muscular men. He was pushed and pushed so majorly that the people just kept eating the bullshit. It did help that Eddie also was nice enough to let him think he was better than he really was. Eddie made anyone feel good about themselves, no matter how shitty they are personally. That’s what will always separate him from that ugly crack looking dog faced attention wanting dumb bitch who teeth looks like she’s been sucking to much dick.

you're own stupidity will lead you to your own downfall

by congestedthoughts on Dec 29, 2011 4:49 PM EST reply actions

6 months is legit

depending on the severity and possibilty he may need surgery to decompress the nerves and disc. I ruptured L4L5 (the same as Orton) last year ended up having to have surgery to decompress the disc as well as a laminectomy ultimately due to actually rupturing the disc which is possibly what Orton did based on his tweets (saying he had disc material in the spinal column indicates he ruptured the disc not just a standarded herniation where the disc remains intact but pushes into the nerve root area). Mine was bad enough however Ive developed an additional issue due to havign to remove so much of the disc Ive developed what they call Spondylthesis which is a slipping of the vertebrae (which I didnt have post surgery and only slightly initally after surgery), which has gotten progressively worse and Im now looking at having to have fusion surgery next month as my symptoms with pain down my leg, weakness, severe back pain started returning outta the blue 3 weeks ago. So I doubt this is a work L4L5 is nothing to play with because while the spinal cord itself ends just above it a major bundle of nerves run just below it in the vicinity of L4L5 and can lead to emergency neurological problems including loss of bowel and bladder control if the disc is damaged further or pushes on the bundle itself vs just the root nerves near the disc. I hope Randy gets well soon and hope he avoids surgery but Id dare say if he doesnt progress within about 6-8weeks they are probably going to have to consider decompression surgery (which is minor surgery usually an hour) and he could easily return to the ring within 3 months afterwards. (however the risk of reinjury once you herniate/rupture the disc is ever present and a repeat herniation would mean fusion surgery and likely a much longer time recovering similar to Austin/Angle’s neck injuries of minimum 9 months).

by djewel73 on Jan 20, 2012 10:06 PM EST reply actions