Randy Orton 'Hurting' Ahead Of WWE WrestleMania 42

While Randy Orton is heavily favoured to win the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, there is a chance those plans could change depending on the severity of the injuries the 46-year-old is currently dealing with.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Randy Orton is "hurting" ahead of WrestleMania 42, so there is a possibility that WWE may book Cody Rhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE Title against Orton in the main event of WrestleMania Saturday.

WWE's future plans, however, suggest the likely outcome on Saturday night will be Orton becoming a 15-time world champion. Pat McAfee, who will be in Orton's corner for WrestleMania, has explicitly stated in promos that he will never work with WWE again if Orton doesn't win the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42. Plans are in place for McAfee to be on WWE TV beyond WrestleMania, however, and Pat McAfee & Randy Orton vs. Jelly Roll & Cody Rhodes was still scheduled to headline Backlash on May 9 as of Thursday.

Randy Orton has suffered from serious injury issues in the past, having been on the shelf for 18 months between May 2022 and November 2023, during which he underwent back fusion surgery. Orton was actually advised to retire from pro wrestling due to the back injury, but he has continued to wrestle and has worked 65 matches since his return at 2023's Survivor Series.