Randy Orton Eyes New WWE Contract and Latest Rumors on The Rock, Mariah May

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

Orton Talks Desire to Sign New WWE Contract

At 45 years old, Randy Orton is much closer to the end of his pro wrestling career than the beginning, but The Viper isn't having any thoughts about retirement despite that.

In an interview this week with Complex.com's Raj Prashad, Orton noted that he would like to sign another long-term deal with WWE once his current one expires, saying:

"I'd love to sign another five-year contract after that. I know realistically there's gonna be a day when I gotta stop. But it's like, I don't even think about that because I'm having so much f--king fun right now.

"Knowing that it was all taken away from me, or almost was all taken away from me. ... Just knowing that I can't do it forever, it's just every second I'm around the guys in the locker room, that camaraderie, there's nothing like it. Every second I'm in the ring feeling the energy from those fans, there's nothing like it. And knowing that there's a cap on that, it just makes it easier to make sure that I'm just always enjoying this."

With regard to everything being "taken away" from him, Orton was alluding to the fact that he had to miss about 18 months of action from 2022 into late 2023 due to a back injury.

Given his age and the severity of the injury, there were legitimate concerns among fans regarding whether Orton would ever be able to return to active in-ring competition.

However, Orton made his return at Survivor Series in November 2023, and he has returned to being a key part of WWE programming ever since then.

Orton recently returned to WWE programming after taking a few months off to sell an injury angle involving Kevin Owens, and he went after Owens to set up a match for WrestleMania 41.

Unfortunately, a legitimate neck injury will keep Owens out of WrestleMania, leaving Orton without an opponent.

He got into a brawl with Solo Sikoa on last week's episode of SmackDown, though, so it seems likely that Orton vs. Sikoa will be added to the WrestleMania card prior to the weekend.

Given his status as a WrestleMania stalwart, it doesn't feel right when Orton isn't on the card, and it sounds like he plans on having several more WrestleMania moments in his future.

The Rock Reportedly Still Expected for WrestleMania Despite Absence

The Rock has not been seen on WWE programming since playing a significant role in John Cena's heel turn at Elimination Chamber last month, but that doesn't necessarily mean that The Final Boss won't be part of WrestleMania 41.

Speaking after Monday night's episode of Raw, Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) expressed his belief that The Rock will indeed be at WrestleMania in some capacity.

In the weeks prior to Elimination Chamber, The Rock made a proposal to WWE champion Cody Rhodes, asking The American Nightmare to sell him his soul.

Rhodes gave his answer at Elimination Chamber and refused to bow down to The Rock, which led to Cena viciously attacking Cody and turning heel for the first time in more than two decades.

Since Elimination Chamber, Cena has made numerous appearances on Raw, cutting heel promos, but he has not mentioned The Rock and The Rock has not shown up.

Sapp speculated that WWE is essentially ignoring The Rock's involvement in an effort to make fans "forget" before bringing him back into the fold on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

If The Rock shows up and costs Cody the title, it can be argued that it will carry more of a surprise factor than it otherwise would have had The Rock made appearances and been a focal point of the Cena vs. Rhodes feud coming out of Elimination Chamber.

Whether that is the right approach or not is very much up for debate, but there is little doubt that having The Rock make an impact on the WrestleMania 41 main event would go a long way toward making the match bigger and more memorable.

Reported Belief That Mariah May Plans to Sign with WWE

Although she is fresh off a successful reign as AEW women's world champion, there are reportedly some doubts about Mariah May's future with the company.

Speaking Tuesday on Wrestling Observer Radio (beginning at the 30-second mark), Dave Meltzer said people in WWE "know" May wants to join WWE:

Bryan Alvarez also chimed in saying there is "a belief" in AEW that May will sign with WWE once her contract is up.

While no definitive timeline was given for the expiration of May's AEW contract, Meltzer said those he has spoken to believe the deal will be up this summer.

May, 26, signed with AEW in 2023 after a hugely successful run in Japan, and she was immediately put in a featured spot alongside women's world champion Toni Storm.

Eventually, May became No. 1 contender for the title, turned heel on Storm and beat her for it at All In last year.

Storm won the title back in February, ending May's 174-day reign. Storm then put an end to their rivalry by defeating May in a memorable Falls Count Anywhere match at Revolution last month.

May has been absent from AEW programming since then, and Meltzer speculated that it could be a sign that AEW president Tony Khan expects her to leave for WWE since he typically keeps wrestlers off TV before they sign elsewhere.

If May's departure does come to fruition, it would be a major blow to the AEW women's division and a coup of WWE, especially considering WWE's additions of Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer and Jordynne Grace over the past year.

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