Randy Orton's Injury Update Is Good News for Desperate WWE

With its disabled list boasting as much star power as the actual roster, WWE has to be elated that Randy Orton is reportedly healing better than expected. 

Injuries have wrecked WWE's plans. WrestleMania 32 is feeling less and less momentous with each marquee name scratched off the prospective card.

However, The Apex Predator may soon act as a one-man cavalry to help counteract that.

The past few months have seen a world champion, a future Hall of Famer and a rising star all trade wrestling for rehab. Seth Rollins tore up his knee. A torn rotator cuff halted Cesaro's momentum. And last week, John Cena became the latest Superstar to keep surgeons busy thanks to a shoulder in need of repair.

The bad news just kept coming. The most difficult-to-replace wrestlers forced WWE to try to replace them anyway. 

As 24Wrestling.com pointed out, WWE's current injured list is awash with big names:

"

#WWE’s injury list is the sickest roster in the world #Cena #Bryan #Orton #Rollins #Sting #Cesaro #Itami

— 24Wrestling.com (@24Wrestling) January 7, 2016"

Orton, as WWE announced back in November, was dealing with "a Bankart lesion in his shoulder, some stretched ligaments and a partially torn rotator cuff." A report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Zone) soon surfaced, stating that he would neck surgery in addition to work on his shoulder soon surfaced. 

Orton recently refuted the report on Instagram (h/t Cageside Seats):

"

I see many of you think I need neck surgery. I heard weeks ago that Meltzer stated it as a fact. I don't keep up with gossip, so I didn't think anything of it. As far as my shoulder, I was cut on 12/8. Things are ahead of schedule and I'm pumped to get back to work. As far as my neck, and I'm only debunking this 'fact' for the sincerely concerned fans, I DONT need neck surgery. Remember, unless you hear about it on WWE.com, you really should take everything you read online concerning pro wrestling with a grain of salt.

"

There are two major positives to take away here. There is of course Orton's claim that he doesn't need to have doctors operate on his neck. That would dramatically cut down on his recovery time.

Secondly, he announced that he was "ahead of schedule" in his recovery progress.

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

That's a refreshingly positive update after so many stories of surgeons' knives and long periods of rehab ahead. Perhaps that even means that The Viper will be healthy in time for WrestleMania.

The Show of Shows is suffering without so many important members of the roster able to make the event.

Cena was the biggest blow yet. As Donald Wood noted on Forbes, "Losing Cena throughout the entire build to the event would undoubtedly lessen the mainstream notoriety WWE would have received if he was involved in a marquee matchup."

Orton is no Cena, but he is a marquee name. He would help boost the hype level for the event as a man who has twice headlined WWE's biggest show of the year. 

Having him around at WrestleMania would give WWE Creative so much more to work with, too.

Suddenly, the roster would be deeper heading into the event, giving WWE another former world champ to plug in. If Orton heals up in time for WrestleMania, fitting all the pieces together for that pay-per-view will be much easier.

With Orton back, WWE could have him face Brock Lesnar, pit Roman Reigns against Triple H and let Kevin Owens clash with Undertaker. Without him, there would be a massive gap to fill, forcing WWE to push someone from lower on the card into a match with Undertaker, Lesnar or The Game. 

His return would positively affect Raw and SmackDown, as well.

When Orton starts wrestling again, The League of Nations will have a top babyface to contend with. The Wyatt Family could use a prominent wrestler to prey upon. The floundering United States Championship scene could use someone with Orton's pedigree.

A healthy Viper in time for WrestleMania season or even in the months after the major event would be a welcomed blessing. For once, WWE would have to figure out where to insert a wrestler rather than figure out how to replace him.