The futures of WWE stars Randy Orton and Kevin Owens remain on the minds of fans, especially as their absences roll on. According to a new report, though, their respective statuses are set for imminent changes.The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Owens and Orton are both expected to make their on-screen WWE returns "very soon," with "The Viper's" potentially coming within the next week of programming. Orton has remained out of action since WrestleMania 42, when a main event loss to then-Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes prompted him to unleash a post-match punt kick.Follow-up reports indicated that creative plans originally called for Orton to dethrone Rhodes at one point. Sometime before the Orton-Rhodes WrestleMania clash, however, they changed. The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer later attributed the pivot to an ongoing back injury suffered by Orton; Orton himself then denied the claims, noting that he was simply "trying to enjoy [his] summer" after "The Show of Shows."In Owens' case, his in-ring absence extends back to early 2025. Following a victory over Sami Zayn at WWE Elimination Chamber, Owens was set to face Orton at WrestleMania 41. A neck injury requiring surgery later took that specific match off the table.Since undergoing surgery in July 2025, Owens has appeared in a non-wrestling capacity as a coach on season three of "WWE LFG" and as a special guest for the "WWE NXT" Great American Bash tailgate and watch parties. The former WWE Universal Champion is scheduled for a meet and greet experience amidst the 2026 SummerSlam weekend.Both of their latest opponents, Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn, are slated to compete on the two-night SummerSlam premium live event.
