Randy Orton In Trouble Again? [Updated x 2]

There's a story beginning to break on the Internet. The story states that Randy Orton 'failed to meet the requirements to pass the WWE Wellness Program drug test'. The story goes on to say that WWE officials recently found 8 bottles of prescription painkillers in Orton's gym bag in the locker room. Furthermore, it is being reported that Randy Orton has tested positive for steroids within the past 2 months.

I for one don't believe this story to be true. Here are the reasons:

The story credits Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter as the source of the original story. I went to the W.O.N. newspage and the story is nowhere to be found. Meltzer is regarded as one of, if not the best wrestling reporter out there so I am sure that people attach his name to a lot of fake stories to add believability to them.

The WWE wouldn't bring Randy Orton back to TV if he had really failed a recent drug test and tested positive for steroids within the past 2 months.

I would think that the story about the steroids would have broken a little sooner than 2 months after it happened. The stories about Joey Mercury and Chris Masters failing their drug tests were on the Internet within a day or two of them happening.

The story is being posted by a newsboard reporter whos posts always seem a little suspect. He always seems to post a headline for story and then the actual post won't provide the indicated information and will instead link to seperate site where the alleged story is located and half the time the story isn't there either. This is not a case of a 'Bottom of the Post' story either. Also, a lot of the time his posts are only up for an hour or so and then the headline is removed from the newsboard.

Update: More details have come out regarding Randy Orton allegedly violating the WWE's Talent Wellness program. It is being reported that instead of a suspension or trip to drug rehab that Vince McMahon had elected to fine Orton $2000 and hire a rehab consultant to travel with Randy Orton. It is also being reported that Hulk Hogan is the reason that Orton wasn't suspended; After hearing about Orton's failed drug test and possibility of suspension, Hogan mediated the situation in order to prevent the much talked about Hogan v. Orton match at Summerslam from being cancelled.

These further details are once again being credited to Dave Meltzer and his Wrestling Observer Newsletter and once again the story is nowhere to be found on the Observer's web page. The link to these further details was again posted by the same reporter I discussed earler. Here's a question - If you are a reporter on a particular site why wouldn't you post the story on that particular site? Why would you send readers to a different site? Yeah, I know that a lot of these wrestling sites are all affiliated and share reporters, but it would be like CNN saying 'Hey, we just broke this huge story, but we're not going to tell you about it. If you want to know about it turn to Headline News.'.

I'm still skeptical as to whether this story is true or not, but time will tell.

Update: In what appears to be the final update to this story, it looks like this story is totally false. Randy Orton has not failed a drug test either recently nor in the past 2 months and 8 bottles of painkillers were not found in his gym bag. I am happy to say that I was correct in not believing the story at any point. What I do believe is that I deserve what is referred to as 'Big Ups', 'Mad Props', and dare I say 'Dap'.

wrestleblogger@yahoo.com