WWE Announce "Injury" To Randy Orton Following Kevin Owens Piledriver

On this week’s November 8 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Randy Orton stormed the ring to call out rival Kevin Owens after their planned match at the 2024 Crown Jewel premium live event didn’t go to plan, being called off before the bell sounded. Kevin Owens emerged and the pair engaged in a brawl that ended when Owens nailed Orton with a piledriver. The piledriver has been a banned move in WWE since the year 2000, with only the “Tombstone” variation allowed for The Undertaker and Kane, and more recently the Canadian Destroyer move in recent years. 

The actual piledriver has not been seen since 2013 when CM Punk hit the move on John Cena, receiving a fine in the aftermath. Michael Cole remarked on commentary how dangerous the move was, explaining to the fans that it had been banned. Orton was subsequently stretched out. 

WWE took to social media over the weekend to announce a storyline injury to Orton, revealing he was diagnosed with a cervical cord neurapraxia. In their post, it was stated that there was no current timetable on Orton’s return, which could indicate that he will be out for a little while.