Report: WWE planning to have Randy Orton return by Survivor Series

Randy Orton could be returning to WWE soon. 

Fightful Select is reporting that WWE and Orton are targeting his return to take place before Survivor Series on November 25. 

"Fightful Select has learned WWE has been planning to have Randy Orton back by Survivor Series," wrote Sean Ross Sapp. 

Orton hasn't wrestled since RK-Bro dropped the Raw Tag Team titles to The Usos on the May 20, 2022 edition of WWE Raw. Shortly after the match, it was reported that he would likely need back surgery and be out the remainder of the year. 

In September 2022, our own Dave Meltzer wrote in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that there was "a lot of concern regarding Orton’s back injury and its severity."

Orton is believed to have had fusion surgery on his lower back last November. He was seen in Los Angeles over WrestleMania weekend earlier this year but at the time, sources stated he still had a "ways to go" before returning. 

Bob Orton Sr. stated in an interview with Bill Apter back in May that he believes doctors have told his son to stop wrestling. 

"He's training so we'll see what happens," Bob Orton said. "I don't know if he feels like going back. If he feels like he's ready to go back, I think he might."

"Then again, he's pretty well taken care of. I don't think he needs to and I think the doctors have told him not to. But Randy is going to do what Randy is going to do, he always does."