I've read that it's a work and that he was planned to have some time off and this will be how they go about doing so.
April 1 is Mania. Have Bryan/Barrett at Mania, Orton comes back and costs Barrett the title. Instant title scene and big show. But I doubt he's kept off TV much past the rumble. Probably comes back AT the rumble.
i dont think anyone would care to much if orton was off of mania. theres already rock cena which is already pretty awesome for mania
Orton was effectively the curtain opener for the last two mania's and the one before that produced arguably one of the worst Wrestlemania main events of all time, so I don't really know why people are making a big deal. Cena and Punk are far bigger draws than Orton could ever be.
But Orton is the Smackdown Cena. He's super man and "elevates" talent. Be honest. The crap with him and Punk and him and Barrett were pretty great. But he's an AWFUL wrestler/story teller. AWFUL. But he'll be at Mania. More than likely be a "surprise" entrant at the Rumble.
Who exactly has Orton put over? I find him dull in the ring, on the mic, as a character, he doesn't elevate talent nor add anything to the product. If Orton disappeared for a couple of months, I'd doubt Smackdown would really miss a beat.
CM Punk? If anybody other than the man himself put him over, it was Jeff Hardy. Orton chewed him up and spat him out in that feud. Again, is Barrett really getting over out of this? He's already lost clean to Orton a couple times and certainly isn't getting close to the heat he got in Nexus.
