WWE could soon see the return of two major names, as new details have emerged regarding Randy Orton and Kevin Owens. According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, both stars are expected to be back in the near future, with one return possibly happening very soon.
Dave Meltzer reported that Orton’s comeback could take place as early as next week, while Owens is also nearing a return following a long recovery.
“Orton and Owens are both expected to be returning very soon, Orton perhaps in the next week,” Meltzer wrote.
Owens has reportedly made strong progress after undergoing neck surgery, which kept him out of action for an extended period.
“Owens has dropped weight after a lengthy and frustratingly long recovery from neck surgery.”
Randy Orton WWE Return Update and Kevin Owens Status
Meltzer also clarified Orton’s recent absence. While it had been suggested that he was simply taking time off, he was in fact dealing with an injury.
“Orton was one of those guys who claimed he wasn’t injured and just taking the summer off, but in fact he was injured,” he explained.
The report further revealed that Orton had originally been planned for a major role at WrestleMania. He was scheduled to defeat Cody Rhodes, but concerns over his back led WWE to reconsider those plans.
“He was actually scheduled to beat Rhodes at Mania unless they felt his back was going to not allow it.”
Once it became clear that Orton would not be able to compete, WWE adjusted its creative direction.
“When they realized that was the case, all kinds of plans were changed.”
Looking ahead, Orton’s return could quickly place him back into the main event scene. With the Undisputed WWE Championship picture currently involving Cody Rhodes and CM Punk, there are clear opportunities for Orton to re-enter a high-profile storyline.
Meltzer suggested that a renewed rivalry with Rhodes is a likely direction, although a program involving Punk is also possible depending on how upcoming events unfold.
“The door was clearly left open to Rhodes vs. Orton at Mania, so I could see Orton screwing Rhodes or Punk to keep the other out of the WWE title picture because there is no reason for him to return now unless it’s to work with one of those two, and Rhodes being the more likely one would think.”
With both Orton and Owens nearing returns, WWE could soon receive a significant boost to its roster heading into the next phase of major storylines followng SummerSlam.
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