Massive update on WWE plans for 43-year-old superstar's return at Survivor Series - Reports

WWE is gearing up for the last of its annual big-four premium live events of 2023 — Survivor Series — scheduled for next month, where Randy Orton could return after more than 18 months.

Recent reports suggested that Randy Orton and WWE were targeting Survivor Series 2023 as the potential stage for the highly anticipated return. The 14-time World Champion was spotted at the Performance Center, possibly preparing for his in-ring return, and he could be back on television in less than six weeks.

A recent update by Fightful Select has indicated that the Triple H-led creative team has zeroed in on Survivor Series as the right time for Randy Orton's comeback. While there is no confirmation on his return date, the tentative plans suggest that The Viper will return right before Survivor Series or directly at the premium live event.

The 43-year-old had to undergo a prolonged recovery from a severe back injury, which forced him to go through surgery. With his former tag team partner Matt Riddle's release, Orton is expected to return to singles competition upon arrival.

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Former WWE Champion reveals hilarious story about title match against Randy Orton

Randy Orton's decorated career has seen him involved in a fair share of memorable feuds. Former World Champion Kofi Kingston recently opened up about his match against The Viper at SummerSlam 2019, where he defended his WWE Championship against the legendary superstar.

Kingston discussed his feud with Orton in a recent interview with Toronto Sun and shared a hilarious incident from their SummerSlam bout. The New Day member revealed that his older son was ready to fight a big guy like Randy Orton when the latter was heckling Kingston's family at The Biggest Party of the Summer.

"Most kids, they see a big, strapping guy like Randy Orton, and they'd start to cower in their seats and get scared and start crying. But my older son, he was ready to fight," Kingston said with a laugh. "He was ready to jump the barricade and fight Orton himself. At that time, I think he was like six or seven years old. That was just a funny memory there because we didn't know Randy was going to do that stuff. But sure enough, they were down to jump in there and help their pops out. That was a really fun moment."

Almost a decade before this match, Randy Orton had once insulted Kofi Kingston on live television after the latter botched a move. The two renewed their rivalry when the New Day member became World Champion. Kingston admitted that revisiting his feud with the industry veteran was "awesome" during his championship reign.