Randy Orton Injury Update: Reportedly Out 4-6 Months

Randy Orton's absence has been notable from WWE television of late. With John Cena already taking time off until December, the company is struggling in the main event babyface department. Orton is one of the few names on the roster who is a legitimate main eventer that can step in for an absent Cena, but a shoulder injury has sidelined Orton in recent weeks. The severity of Orton's injury has been a mystery, but WWE finally acknowledged the severity of the injury late Monday evening:

€œRandy has suffered from a dislocated shoulder. He€™s had chronic problems with his shoulder, and a recent MRI that was done found he has a Bankart lesion in his shoulder, some stretched ligaments and a partially torn rotator cuff,€ WWE physician Dr. Steve Daquino told WWE.com. €œAt this point it€™s a matter of when he dislocates the shoulder again, and not if. Surgery seems imminent, and recovery time for such a surgery would be four to six months.€

The injury recovery time of four to six months puts Orton's WrestleMania status in jeopardy. With WWE looking to draw one of their biggest attendance figures in history at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Orton's presence on the show is certainly something WWE has been banking on. WWE has a strict policy in place in regards to wrestlers being cleared for in-ring competition, so Orton surely will not be rushed back from this injury. However, whether or not he is able to perform at WrestleMania in approximately five months is a question that will hover around the company for the next several months.