As we reported last week, Randy Orton was suspended for sixty days after his second official Wellness policy violation, but details weren't available at the time about the nature of his infraction, other than it was obvious that he must have failed a drug test. On Monday, Mexican wrestling website Superluchas.net, reported that the drugs found in his system were the oral steroid methandrostenolone, better known by its trade name of Dianabol, and marijuana. It should be noted that the punishment for pot is only a $2,500 fine and has never led to a suspension, though repeat offenders have sometimes been further punished by a reduced role on television.
They also claimed that last Friday Orton had a hostile meeting with Vince McMahon, Triple H and a television producer, presumably Kevin Dunn, where he was close to being terminated, a report later corroborated by PWInsider.com. As the story goes, some people with sway in the company were arguing that they should cut their losses on Orton, because he has one of their lengthiest (eight years left out of ten) and most lucrative guaranteed contracts and with him now being just one Wellness strike away from automatic termination he's now too risky to push as the top guy on Smackdown. Although McMahon was understandably very upset at Orton, he wouldn't take such a drastic move, but The (No Longer) Apex Predator is obviously in the doghouse for the time being at least.
However, Dave Meltzer in today's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, questions whether that meeting even took place, as Dunn wouldn't be involved in disciplinary meetings with talent, but confirmed that there is a few outspoken voices in the inner circle that were pushing for Orton's dismissal. Perhaps to placate those hardliners, the current plan is not to bring back Orton immediately after his suspension is over, costing him a big SummerSlam payoff.
However, in two months time, once heads have cooled, there's a very good chance that Vince McMahon won't stick to that decision, so I wouldn't read too much into it. Obviously firing Orton is completely out of the question, due to WWE's complete lack of talent depth and TNA snapping him up in a heartbeat if WWE gave them the slightest opportunity. Though when he comes back, Orton will probably find himself down the babyface pecking order, more firmly behind CM Punk and Sheamus, perhaps used in a similar role to Rey Mysterio who is still yet to come back from his own sixty day suspension. The fact that Orton was written out of WWE storylines in a fashion where he was protected suggests he won't slip any further down the totem pole.
Meltzer is also sceptical about the failure being for Dianabol, as it's a steroid that is now very out of fashion and rarely used by athletes today. One of his sources claimed that Orton failed due to a tainted supplement, but if that excuse held any water, then it would be astonishing that they would suspend him, unless with Linda McMahon's senate campaign heating up they're now taking a new zero tolerance policy on all drug test failures.
We'll be sure to update this story as more information comes in Cagesiders, as it certainly sounds like we haven't gotten to the bottom of it just yet with all the conflicting stories being banded about.