Multi-time World Champion Randy Orton recently said that his double lumbar spinal fusion has completely transformed how he approaches his in-ring career and he's aware that no one else on the WWE roster has gone through what he has.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show during NFL Combine coverage in Indianapolis, Orton reflected on what it means to be still competing at 45 after undergoing two back surgeries.
There's no one on the roster that I'm aware of that's had a lower lumbar fusion, let alone a double fusion," Orton said. "So the fact that I'm doing [this] anyway — every second I'm in that ring, I am soaking it up. I've been doing this longer than damn near anybody. I just feel so grateful to be around.
Still Betting on Himself at the Elimination Chamber
That gratitude hasn't blunted Orton's competitive drive. He enters WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 this Saturday in Chicago with championship aspirations — and he's not hiding it.
If you're a betting man, definitely bet on me. I'm winning that thing," Orton said. "I'm 46 in a couple months, and I can't do this forever. I've been doing it 26 years. If I could do it another decade, I will. But I know that time's coming. I don't know how many more Chambers I got. I don't know how many more WrestleManias I got. I think this will be my 21st WrestleMania coming up. I just want to keep stacking them up, man.
This marks Orton's record 10th appearance inside the Elimination Chamber, a milestone he's earned through a career defined as much by survival as by accolades.
The Philosophy Behind His Longevity
Orton was candid about the turning point that allowed him to reach this stage of his career. He admitted that early on in his career, he was reckless and a hard reset saved everything.
Early on in my career, I got lucky because I was horrible to my body," he said. "I was doing all sorts of [things] I shouldn't have been doing. And I had a reality check and I turned things around. Like the in-ring work — I make sure that everything I'm doing, there's a reason I'm doing it. I'm not just throwing myself around.
At 45, with two fused vertebrae and a WrestleMania run in his sights, Orton continues to prove that intentionality outlasts raw talent. Elimination Chamber airs Saturday, February 28th at 7 PM ET on the ESPN App from the United Center in Chicago.
