The situation with Randy Orton’s injuries are said to be much worse than originally expected, and depending on the condition of his neck, could be a disaster in terms of how long he will be on the sidelines.

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According to the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Orton’s shoulder injury is serious enough that it will most likely keep him out of action until after WrestleMania 32 in April. As soon as he recovers from the shoulder operation, he is going to have surgery on his neck.

WWE expects Orton’s neck surgery won’t be as serious as the shoulder operation. The second surgery he will be getting after his shoulder operation will be to clean out bone chips in his neck.

It’s worth pointing out that it’s possible, but unlikely, that the neck damage Orton is dealing with is worse than WWE thinks right now and if that’s the case, he’ll have to get fusion surgery. If he were forced to get the fusion surgery, he would be out of action for well over a year. Right now, however, WWE is under the impression that Orton will not have to take that route.

Orton’s WWE return looks to be, at best, three-to-six months after his neck operation. The neck surgery will take place once doctors feel he has sufficiently recovered from the shoulder surgery.