Will Randy Orton return at WWE Royal Rumble 2023?

WWE Royal Rumble 2023 is just three weeks away as fans gear up for the most highly anticipated premium live event of the year. The show will emanate from the Alamodome, which hosted the 1997 and 2017 editions.

The Rumble is an excellent time for surprise returns, which have become a staple selling point for the interesting thirty-person melee. Booker T, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes have been rumored to make a grand return at WWE Royal Rumble 2023. All of these unannounced entries would indeed generate massive crowd reactions.

However, there is one other individual whose surprise return would send the crowd into a frenzy - Randy Orton. He has been out of action since May 20 last year, when he, alongside Matt Riddle, lost a Tag Team Championship Unification Match to The Usos.

The Viper was dealing with a back injury that turned out to be much more severe than initially speculated. Over the summer, there were backstage concerns that Orton would require surgery for complete treatment. Several months later, Fightful broke the unfortunate news in November that the 14-time world champion needed spinal fusion surgery on his lower back.

Per the report, retirement was a real option for the RK-Bro veteran. The WWE Universe has sorely missed The Apex Predator, with many desperately wondering when, if ever, they will see Orton delivering an RKO in the ring. Is a grand surprise return, of epic proportions, on the cards for WWE Royal Rumble 2023? Read on to find out.

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A Randy Orton return at WWE Royal Rumble 2023 is very unlikely

The Fightful report also suggested that WWE had no definitive timeline for Randy Orton's return, who was initially listed internally as a future opponent for Roman Reigns. All plans featuring Matt Riddle's tag team partner have been put on hold.

The Viper's father, Cowboy Bob Orton, provided an interesting yet positive update on his son's recovery. The Hall of Famer appeared to shut down retirement rumors and suggested that Randy would be back soon.

"He’s [Randy Orton] coming along. I see him maybe once a week or so. But he’s coming along. He’ll be back in there before you know it."

The fourteen-time world champion underwent fusion surgery on his lower back. The recovery time, especially considering the physicality of his profession and age, is estimated at around six to twelve months, which is consistent with speculation that he will be out of commission for an extended period.

Furthermore, the exact timeframe of his back surgery is unknown. Orton's wife posted a picture of the couple together in November, with Orton looking fatigued in a hospital bed. Therefore, it occurred sometime over the fall.

Either way, a shocking Randy Orton return "outta nowhere" at WWE Royal Rumble 2023 is borderline impossible and will only exist in the realm of pure fantasy booking. This is a disheartening update because it would've been a surprise for the ages at the level of Edge's remarkable homecoming in the 2020 Men's Royal Rumble Match.

The Apex Predator has won the Royal Rumble twice, first in 2009 and then eight years later in 2017. His fans would want him to win a third, but WWE Royal Rumble 2023 is unlikely to be the occasion.