Randy Orton told fans his WWE absence wouldn’t last forever, and now there’s finally a better idea of what his immediate future looks like. Anyone hoping The Viper might suddenly pop back up over the next few weeks probably shouldn’t hold their breath.
During a Q&A session, WrestleVotes was asked when Orton is expected back following his brutal Crown Jewel loss to Cody Rhodes. According to WrestleVotes, Orton won’t return until after the holidays and will miss both Survivor Series and WrestlePalooza.
“Randy will be back after the holidays. He will miss Survivor Series and WrestlePalooza.”
That means WWE apparently won’t have Orton around for two of its upcoming major events. Survivor Series is coming up later this month, while WrestlePalooza takes place in Australia next month.
Orton’s absence comes after WWE gave him one hell of a beating on his way out. He faced Rhodes in a Last Man Standing Match at Crown Jewel, with steel steps, kendo sticks, tables, trash cans and a ladder all coming into play.
Things got especially nasty near the finish. After hitting multiple Cross Rhodes, Cody stopped the referee’s count and nailed Orton with his own Punt Kick, finally leaving The Viper unable to answer the ten-count. Orton later addressed his future after a fan told him they were willing to wait until he came back. He didn’t reveal how long that wait would be, but he promised he wasn’t finished.
“Whether it’s sooner, or later, I’ll be back. Guaranteed. WWE is my home away from home. I still have more to do, and until I am unable, I will continue to keep doing it.”
Now that wait has a rough timeline. Orton is taking the rest of the holidays off, meaning fans shouldn’t expect an RKO out of nowhere at Survivor Series or WrestlePalooza — but The Viper should be back once WWE rolls into the new year.
What do you want to see Randy Orton do when he returns to WWE after the holidays? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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