Randy Orton injury update: 'Viper' now advertised for upcoming Raw shows, expected to work Royal Rumble

The story of Randy Orton's back injury started as something minor, as he was expected to be out for just a few weeks, then turned into something major when word was circulated that he would be out for six months.

All the while, Orton just laughed at the speculation, telling his Twitter followers he found it entertaining and couldn't imagine why everyone would simply believe the rumors. Which is funny because some of them were started by his employer.

But whatever.

Either way, it now appears that the original reports regarding his injury are much closer to the truth than later ones, at least as it pertains to how long he'll be out. That's because "The Viper" is now being advertised for upcoming Raw shows starting on Jan. 16 and he's also expected to work the Royal Rumble, according to the Wrestling Observer.

WWE.com reported recently that Orton suffered a herniated disk and he'll only need rest, anti-inflammatory medication and some physical therapy to get better, all of which can be accomplished in a few short weeks. The hope is that this is actually the case and not an instance of WWE finding a doctor who would give them a prognosis they wanted. With both Mark Henry and Alberto Del Rio suffering through injuries right now, the reality is they couldn't afford to lose another top star for any more time than absolutely necessary.

Luckily, it seems, Orton will only miss a few weeks.