Has Randy Orton retired from WWE?

Multi-time World Champion Randy Orton has been out of action from WWE for a while now. He last wrestled in the May 20th edition of SmackDown.

One half of team RK-Bro, The Viper suffered a terrible spine injury following his Tag Team Championship unification match against The Usos. It is believed that the aforementioned injury was inflicted due to the brutal assault by The Bloodline after the bout.

A few days after the incident, WWE announced Orton would be out of action for the rest of the year. He successfully underwent surgery to fix his back after consultations with neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons.

The 42-year-old superstar has not retired from professional wrestling as of now. He plans to keep performing inside the squared circle until he turns 50.

"I’d say I’d wrestle until I’m 50 years old. And I would go out and have that last match when I’m 50 and be able to say I did it on my own terms. That’s 9 years from now. But I don’t see an end to my career any time soon." (H/T WrestlingINC)

Reports initially mentioned that a Royal Rumble return may be on the cards for Randy Orton. However, the veteran's recent injury update is ominous and a potential return seems vague.

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Latest updates on WWE star Randy Orton’s injury

Randy Orton is currently enjoying some quality family time while nurturing his injury. He is occasionally active on his social media accounts and even congratulated John Cena on his 20th anniversary in WWE.

Previously, in July, Riddle gave a potential update on his partner’s injury. He mentioned that Randy was in high spirits regarding his return.

"Randy is still recovering from his injuries, and hopefully, he'll be back sooner than later. You know I can't give more of an update because I'm not a doctor, and I don't have one. I know Randy's in high spirits for sure, and he's doing well." (H/T ComicBook.com)

Spine injuries usually take a minimum of six months to heal depending on the severity. The damage to Orton’s spine seems substantial as he is expected to miss out on several more months. Even the latest reports by Dave Meltzer suggest that the injury is a matter of concern.

Fans are hoping Randy Orton is eventually fit to make a comeback next year. He was rumored to be the initial opponent for Roman Reigns at SummerSlam but the injury spoiled WWE’s plans. The Legend Killer is expected to continue his program with The Tribal Chief after his potential return and even potentially dethrone the Undisputed champion.