Randy Orton: My heart breaks for Kevin Owens

Randy Orton is heartbroken that Kevin Owens has to miss their scheduled WrestleMania match.

The two were set to face each other in a grudge match at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas this weekend, but those plans had to be canceled when Owens revealed earlier this month that he needs to undergo neck surgery and will be out of action for a significant period of time. Orton is still expected to have a match at WrestleMania, though a new opponent for him has not been named yet.

While speaking with Complex, Orton dropped any pretense of storyline issues to express how bad he feels for what Owens is going through.

“If we’re being real here, my heart breaks for Kevin,” Orton said. “I think, first and foremost, I just hate that he’s gotta go through that. Even more than a physical journey he’s gotta go on to let his body heal, it’s a mental journey too. His body’s been through it, and now he’s paying that price, like he said in the ring the other day. We all pay the price at one point or another.”

Orton, who underwent his own surgery in 2022 due to a back injury, told Complex that he’s helped set Owens up to get a second opinion.

Complex wrote:

Orton has set Owens up with a second opinion from a surgeon he worked with previously. At this stage, his advice for Owens is to make the best decision for himself and his family, and to reach out if he needs to talk.

When Orton was battling his back injury, it was feared that his career might be over. But he’s recovered now and is making sure to appreciate every second that he gets to compete in the ring. Orton signed a new five-year contract with WWE in 2024. And despite already being 45 years old, he’d like to sign another five-year deal when this contract comes up.

“I’d love to sign another five-year contract after that,” Orton said. “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*cking fun right now.”

It’s believed that Orton’s match against his yet-to-be-announced opponent will take place on the card for night two of WrestleMania 41 on Sunday.