Going into the WWE WrestleMania 39 weekend, things were looking good for fans hoping to see Randy Orton return to in-ring action. But over time, that hope faded.
There were hints leading up to it that he was returning, such as a recent report that mentioned there had been internal rumours about Orton’s WWE status and him going to LA for the show.
He underwent fusion back surgery, which has kept him out of action since May 2022. When it came to the biggest weekend in professional wrestling every year, reports stated Orton wasn’t prepared to make a comeback. This lowered fan expectations.
According to Dave Meltzer’s report in the most recent Wrestling Observer Newsletter, “Orton’s back injury was nowhere close to allowing him to return to in-ring action.”
