Did Randy Orton lose his temper against Drew McIntyre in the last segment of SmackDown? On September 12, 2025, Orton and McIntyre squared off against each other in a singles match (via YouTube).
But things took a bad turn for the 14-time WWE Champion, as early on in the match, he could be seen favoring his knee. Stuff turned uglier when ‘The Scottish Warrior’ performed a botched slam against the ropes and awkwardly pulled his injured leg.
Immediately after receiving the move, ‘The Apex Predator’ exited the ring to compose himself, and McIntyre followed him outside. Orton was clearly fuming at his opponent, who not only sold his punches to the head but also greeted fans as he made his way back to the ring. Later on in the match, ‘The Viper’ could be heard saying about the spot. He said,
25 goddamn years and no one’s ever slammed me against the goddamn ropes.
During the error, Orton could be seen screaming in agony, and commentators were expressing their concerns about the move and the punishment that he was unleashing on his opponent. This gave ‘The Scottish Psychopath’ an unfair advantage over his opponent, and he easily earned a victory over ‘The Legend Killer.’
Did Randy Orton Pick Up an Injury From the Botched Spot in SmackDown?
The showdown between Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre has been quite intense, and it did not end with the latter’s victory. McIntyre wanted to severely hurt ‘The Apex Predator’ and lined him up for a Claymore against the bottom of the commentator’s desk.
To everyone’s relief, Cody Rhodes made his much-unanticipated return to SmackDown, giving him a receipt for attacking him last month ahead of Clash in Paris, and challenged him at Wrestlepalooza.
During the whole segment, the camera was kept away from Orton, which made the WWE Universe concerned. Moreover, in their match, Drew McIntyre was constantly going after that injured leg, and he was seen limping during the entirety of the match. Check out the clip below:
.@DMcIntyreWWE is taking it to @RandyOrton 👊 pic.twitter.com/gyvsdl2wMW
— WWE (@WWE) September 13, 2025
While concern was evident when the show was going on, WWE did not announce any injury-related update about Randy Orton. Thus, we can expect that he is doing well but will be on the sidelines so that Rhodes and McIntyre’s rivalry could get more intense ahead of the PPV.
Randy Orton’s Pro-Wrestling Career Has Been Plagued by WWE Superstars
Randy Orton is one of the most active members of the WWE locker room, where he has carried the wrestling promotion brand on his back for several years. As a result, he has won numerous titles in the company, making him one of the most decorated superstars of all time.
However, his pro-wrestling career is full of mishaps, where he has suffered from numerous injuries from fellow colleagues in different in-ring incidents. Here is a list of some WWE wrestlers who were responsible for the injuries to the former US Champion:
4. Mr. Kennedy (2009)
The most infamous injury that took place in Randy Orton’s career was in a RAW segment from 2009, where he was part of the iconic 10-Man Tag Team Match between the LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets. During this match, Mr. Kennedy delivered a botched backdrop to Orton, which led to him landing awkwardly on his back, leading to him getting seriously injured and being out of action for some time.
The incident created such a rift between the two superstars that Orton complained about it and got Mr. Kennedy fired from the company. However, it was later clarified how other factors contributed to him getting released from WWE.
3. Wade Barrett (2011)
In 2011, Orton reignited his old beef with Wade Barrett and found himself in a Falls Count Anywhere against him. The match was so intense that the squared circle could not contain their fight, leading to both wrestlers taking it to the arena.
During the action, Barrett pushed him down from a set of stairs, leading him to suffer from a herniated disc on the “L4-L5 level on the left side,” causing pain and weakness in his leg (via WWE). This made him take some time off, go to the rehabilitation center, and take physical therapy and medications for recovery.
2. Brock Lesnar (2016)
Another memorable match from Randy Orton’s WWE career, where he found himself face-to-face against ‘The Beast Incarnate,’ Brock Lesnar, at the 2016 SummerSlam. The match was epic, with both wrestlers going back and forth against each other. In the final minutes of the match, Lesnar took off his gloves and delivered a couple of stiff elbows to his forehead, busting him open.
Though Lesnar won the match by TKO, it was brutal to watch, which resulted in ‘The Viper’ receiving ten staples to close the wound.
1. Kevin Owens (2024)
The most recent injury Orton picked up was in 2024 against Kevin Owens, during a segment of SmackDown. ‘KO’ launched a cold-blooded attack on ‘The Viper,’ delivering a banned piledriver that led to “cervical cord neurapraxia” (via X). This injury was so severe that WWE had no timetable for his return.
Clearly, Randy Orton did not have a comfortable time in WWE because, over the years, in the company, he has taken some heavy bumps that have put his health in jeopardy. Do you think that WWE has gone too far with Randy Orton to entertain the fans? Let us know in the comments below!
Friday Night SmackDown can currently be streamed on Netflix.
