WWE Superstar Randy Orton Return Might Be Postponed; Will 'The Viper' Miss Out SummerSlam 2016?

Amid speculations hinting an imminent brand extension that will result in the biggest split of WWE's main roster, more rumors have recently surfaced hinting a delayed comeback for one of the most charismatic WWE superstar, Randy Orton.

If rumors doing rounds are anything to go by, "The Viper," who has been away from action since October last year citing a surgery to his injured shoulder, may not return to the four-sided ring at least until after WWE SummerSlam 2016, PWInsider reported.

If this is any indication of Orton's delayed (or until after SummerSlam) return to WWE, he has been offered top billing for WWE Live Event at the AT&T Center, San Antonio scheduled on Sunday, August 28 (a week after WWE SummerSlam, which is scheduled to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on August 21).

Orton was in the midst of a rivalry with The Wyatt Family when he genuinely suffered a shoulder injury that called for a surgery. He was slated to make his comeback within six to nine months, however it looks like "The Apex Predator" will need more time to recover.

This means Orton's fans will need to wait a little longer, until late August, to be precise to see their favorite superstar return to WWE television. However, this also implies he could miss the upcoming WWE pay-per-view (PPV), SummerSlam 2016, WrestleZone reported.

Not too long ago, speculations were rampant that Orton, along with a slew of other WWE superstars including Samoa Joe, Bray Wyatt and Kevin Owens, is a potential opponent for "The Beast," Brock Lesnar but that is obviously out of question now.

This is not the first time "The Legend Killer" has had a shoulder injury. Orton, 36, suffers from a medical condition called hypermobile shoulders - a condition in which joints stretch more than usual causing dislocations or subluxations.

Orton has suffered as many as five shoulder injuries in his career since he first stepped inside the WWE ring in 2002.

Contrary to a slew of recently surfaced reports that hinted Orton's imminent return, doctors have not yet given him the green light. Neither has the popular professional wrestling company officially announced his return, while other injured WWE superstars including Bray Wyatt and John Cena have already made their TV return.

In 2015, rumor mills churned reports indicating that Orton needed a neck fusion surgery, however with no adequate evidence to support the claim, the rumor eventually subsided.

The World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. has been trying to boost their ratings, and without-a-doubt, Randy Orton who is a crowd puller can do the trick.

Which brand do you want Randy Orton to be drafted to upon his return and why; SmackDown or Monday Night Raw? Share your thoughts in the comments below!