Randy Orton: Long-Term Back Injury Opens Door for Seismic WWE Shift

WWE and Vince McMahon are about to shift into full-on panic mode now that Randy Orton could be out for up to six months with a back injury.

WrestleZone broke the news of how bad Orton’s injury really was:

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We are learning that the injury has to do with at least one of the discs in his back. Orton could miss up to six months of in-ring time, causing him to miss WrestleMania 28.

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If there was panic about the future of the WWE and the lack of money being made, this rash of injuries has just turned Vinny Mac from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.

Add Randy Orton to a list that includes Rey Mysterio, Christian, Karma, Alberto Del Rio, Mark Henry and many more, and tough times have befallen the WWE.

Short-Term Outlook: Terrible

This will almost guarantee that Vince McMahon starts to panic in terms of storylines and ratings go so hold on to your hats. This ride is about to get bumpy. In the short term, I expect Sheamus to become the top face on SmackDown and possibly continue the feud with Wade Barrett.

This also means that McMahon will ride the horses he knows to try and drive the ratings back up for pay-per-views and television. While that will mean more Big Show and the goons that most WWE fans don’t like, it could also mean the expedited return of the Undertaker.

While losing Randy Orton is a serious blow to the SmackDown brand, this may be enough to keep the belt around the waist of Daniel Bryan for a little while longer.

Long-Term Outlook: Blessing in Disguise

This is the kind of huge obstacle that gives Vince McMahon nightmares. I can already feel the panic coming from WWE headquarters.

While panic never helps anything, it usually makes for some really great television with more swerves than most fans can handle. It could also yield CM Punk moving to SmackDown.

There were already serious questions about CM Punk’s ability to carry the company, so moving him to SmackDown while allowing Cena to regain the head of the table on Raw works nicely. Punk could reach the same level of greatness a wrestler like Edge did on SmackDown if they give him the freedom he has on Raw.

When Orton comes back, that would be another big face with John Cena on what would become the flagship program again.

Synopsis: Anarchy in the WWE

The WWE will overcome any injury to a star, but RKO’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time.

The only real hope is that the panic that is starting as we speak will, through the mind of Vince McMahon, cause the kind of genuine excitement that we had so many times in the past.

We love the WWE when they get it right and we scold them when they get it wrong, but we all laugh when things get crazy. It looks like things are about to get crazy.

Check back for more on World Wrestling Entertainment as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s WWE Page to get your fill of all things wrestling. For more on WWE/TNA, check out Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics.

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