As reported earlier, Cowboy Boy Orton was released today by WWE. He had not been seen on WWE TV since the Randy Orton/Undertaker feud ended following the Hell in a Cell match late last year.
Both the Wrestling Observer and Pro Wrestling Torch newsletters have reported that there has been heat on Orton, which led to him being taken off the road, whereas initial plans were for Randy to win the World Title and have along reign with his father always helping him squeak out victories. The heat is a result of a situation that angered The Undertaker, although reports recently have stated that Taker had since calmed down.
The backstory is this: 35 years ago as a teenager, Bob was tested positive for hepatitis, a disease that can cause severe liver damage among other things. Since he hadn’t had any symptoms of the disease, or even thought about it much since, the newsletter reports suggest that he was surprised when he recently tested positive by WWE doctors. Johnny Ace knew about the test results, but hadn’t told The Undertaker, who was in the midst of a feud (that often got bloody; hepatitis can spread through the blood) with the Ortons. However, the WWE doctor who tested Orton was close with Taker, told him, and Taker was angry. As it turns out, the doctors had told Orton it was nothing to worry about, although today’s news of Bob’s release could very well have been related to the health situation.
We’ll have more on this should it become available.
