Is Randy Orton taking time off from WWE following his loss to Cody Rhodes?

Randy Orton suffered a heartbreaking loss against Cody Rhodes at Night of Champions. The Viper made some bold proclamations before the bout but couldn't prove his words. It was an embarrassing defeat that caused a massive blow to his pride. Fans have been wondering whether the weight of his loss could take a toll on Orton, and he could disappear from television.

[Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the July 4 edition of SmackDown]

Despite his huge loss against Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton is not taking time off from WWE. He will be involved in a major feud with Drew McIntyre going forward. The company taped the upcoming episode of SmackDown after this week's RAW, where fans saw the return of The Scottish Warrior.

The 40-year-old confronted The Apex Predator during the latter's segment with Cody Rhodes. Both superstars were involved in a heated exchange of words, which compelled Nick Aldis to take matters into his own hands. The SmackDown GM made a huge match official between McIntrye and Orton for the upcoming Saturday Night's Main Event.

Both superstars will revisit their rivalry on SmackDown, which may go on for a month or two. Hence, it can be safely said that Randy Orton is not going anywhere, at least not until SummerSlam. He is expected to be involved in a major storyline and will be a constant part of the programming heading into the summer's biggest extravaganza.

Is Randy Orton dealing with an injury following Night of Champions?

Randy Orton competed in a grueling match against Cody Rhodes at Night of Champions. During the match, there was a scary spot when The Viper executed a superplex on Rhodes and landed right on his back. He immediately clutched his lower back and was visibly in pain.

Besides, The American Nightmare constantly targeted Orton's back during the match, and the latter was seen in excruciating pain. Given his history of back surgery, fans have been wondering whether the Legend Killer is silently dealing with an injury. However, this is not the case.

There are no reports of Randy Orton being injured at Night of Champions. He was seemingly selling that angle to add depth and intensity to their match. There have been several instances when The Viper completely hoodwinked fans into believing that he suffered an injury during his match.

However, it is all part of the storyline and drama that adds extra flavor to the ongoing storytelling. It has been a common practice in the realm of sports entertainment to blur the lines between reality and kayfabe.