Randy Orton is not buying into the doom and gloom around his WWE status. Hours after a new report tied his post-WrestleMania 42 absence to a serious back injury, the 14-time world champion responded on X with a sarcastic message that confirmed his return plans without confirming much else.

"Lmao just milking it guys, leave me alone I'm trying to enjoy my summer before I come back and take that #15," Orton wrote.



The "#15" reference is straightforward. Orton currently sits tied with Triple H at 14 world title reigns, behind John Cena's 17 and Ric Flair's 16. A 15th run would put him alone in third place on the all-time list.

Orton's post came in direct response to comments from Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. Meltzer connected Orton's absence since WrestleMania 42 to a back issue that has lingered for years.

"Back injury. That's why he's been gone since WrestleMania and it's probably why he didn't win the title," Meltzer said. "He's got a back injury and it's significant. He's had it for years. It almost ended his career, came back, still there and that's why he's been out."

The injury Meltzer referenced is the same one that kept Orton out of action from May 2022 until his return at Survivor Series 2023, a roughly 18-month absence that was widely reported as potentially career-ending at the time.

Meltzer has previously reported that Orton was originally booked to dethrone Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, with WWE making a late call to keep the title on Rhodes. Rhodes has since moved into a program with GUNTHER, while Orton has been absent from television after closing WrestleMania weekend with a post-match beatdown that included a belt shot and a punt to the champion.

WWE has Orton advertised for the May 29 episode of SmackDown in Barcelona, Spain at Olympic Arena, the final blue brand show before Clash in Italy.