When Cody Rhodes left WWE, he started a chain reaction that ultimately led to the creation of All Elite Wrestling. The former AEW star believes that the company wouldn’t exist without him.
The former IC Champion started his wrestling career in WWE in 2006. He had a decade-long run with the promotion, where he went through various phases.
However, after being repackaged as Stardust, Rhodes became increasingly frustrated with his creative direction and he finally left WWE in 2016.
He went on to make a name for himself in the independent circuit. Cody joined The Bullet Club and made friends with the Elite and the rest is history.
A fan recently tweeted how people seem to underestimate Cody Rhodes’ importance in the creation of AEW. Replying to it, the former TNT champion said that the facts are there for everyone to see:
“Facts are all out there to see…without Brandi or I it wouldn’t exist. Look no further than some of the infrastructure in place or even half the names of the events. Tony, Bucks, Kenny, Jericho, Dana, Hang…pioneers. I’ve moved on to the next stage for me, but beautiful memories.”
Facts are all out there to see…without Brandi or I it wouldn’t exist. Look no further than some of the infrastructure in place or even half the names of the events. Tony, Bucks, Kenny, Jericho, Dana, Hang…pioneers. I’ve moved on to the next stage for me, but beautiful memories.
WWE fans are still reeling from Cody Rhodes’ epic return at WrestleMania 38, and the incredible winning streak he has been on that have set him as one of the top stars in the company.
The American Nightmare unfortunately hit a setback in his quest for a WWE world title when he tore his pectoral muscle, and is expected to be out of action until next year.
Rhodes last wrestled against Seth Rollins in the main event of the Hell in a Cell premium live event, where he picked up a huge victory.
When Will Cody Rhodes Return?
Rhodes is (unsurprisingly) set for a big push whenever her returns, according to Andrew Zarian from the Mat Men Pro Wrestling podcast. Despite the big shakeup with WWE management, Rhodes is still slated to be a centerpiece act in the lead-up to WrestleMania 39.
Although we do not yet have a solid timeline for Rhodes’ recovery, the company is working under the assumption that he’ll be back in time for the 2023 Royal Rumble.
Since returning to WWE, Rhodes has made his intentions clear. He hopes to accomplish what his father Dusty never did: win the “big one” in WWE.
Despite being an AEW original, Rhodes never reached the top of the mounting there either. He did challenge for the AEW World Championship at Full Gear 2019, but lost to Chris Jericho. Per the stipulation of that match, he would never challenge for the AEW World title again.
Injured WWE star Cody Rhodes is being advertised for an upcoming episode of Monday Night RAW.
Rhodes injured his pectoral muscle back in June, which sidelined him for several months after requiring surgery. Initial expectations had Rhodes out for nine months, meaning he wouldn’t be expected back until March of 2023.
Rhodes tore his pectoral muscle in the midst of his feud with Rollins on RAW. Despite having already torn his pectoral, he still competed against Rollins inside Hell In A Cell back in June, winning the match and seemingly closing the chapter on his rivalry with Rollins.
However, the following night on Monday Night RAW, Rollins attacked Rhodes after faking a compromise, attacking Rhodes’ injured area to seemingly help write him off TV. Rhodes was being positioned as the top babyface over on Monday Night RAW.
The timing of his injury couldn’t have been worst. However, many expect Rhodes to return at the Royal Rumble in January, potentially winning the match and going on to WrestleMania 39 to challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Championship.
With Rhodes now being advertised for a match on August 22, it certainly makes things interesting.
AEW star Anthony Ogogo recently appeared on Insight With Chris Van Vilet to discuss a number of pro-wrestling topics, which included the former Olympian’s thoughts on his feud with Cody Rhodes in 2021.
The two were set to meet at that year’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view from Daily’s Place in Florida, AEW’s first major event with a packed house since the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020. Prior to the match the hard-hitting Brit and the American Nightmare had several segments to build their feud on Dynamite, with one being memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Ogogo and Rhodes met for a weigh-in segment hosted by Paul Wight, but things went horrendously wrong. Wight had issues reading the scale and fireworks from a local baseball game went off that caused a great distraction. The segment seemed never ending, and since there was no physicality it left everyone with a bad taste in their mouth going into Double or Nothing.
When talking about the weigh-in…Ogogo could not think of one nice thing to say.
“Fucking dogshit mate, fucking dogshit!”
He later reveals that he thought the idea was lame even before the fiascos occurred inside of the ring.
“So Cody said to me that we were going to do a weigh-in. I’m like ‘Cool, so what’s going to happen?’ And Cody is brilliant, he is brilliant at what he does and he has got a great mind for it. [Cody] was like ‘We are going to do a weigh-in.’ I’m like ‘Cool, who is getting knocked out? What are we going to do.’ [Cody responds] ‘It’s a weigh-in, we are not going to touch.’ I’m like oh, I have watched enough wrestling to know that that’s a bit drab, a bit of shit.”
Ogogo doesn’t just call the whole segment a disaster, but believes he was the biggest victim of its failure.
“Mate the whole thing was disastrous, but I feel like I’m the victim. It was my first kind of entry, and I am in this really weird segment that wasn’t my idea. I would have rather knocked out Goldust, knocked out Dustin.”
Rhodes would go on to defeat Ogogo at Double or Nothing. Ogogo has been largely absent from AEW’s main programming (Dynamite & Rampage) ever since.
(Special thanks to Chris Van Vilet for sending over quotes)
A WWE Superstar made a video appearance during the pre-show of Ric Flair’s Last Match.
During the pre-show of the Ric Flair’s Last Match pay-per-view, many wrestling legends sent thriller well wishes to the WWE Hall of Famer. The pre-show featured people like Trish Stratus, Sting, Jim Ross, Nick Aldis, Kurt Angle, Dixie Carter, and Cody Rhodes.
These legends sent their support to Ric Flair who is competing in his final match during Starrcast V.
We have live results for the Ric Flair’s Last Match pay-per-view that you can view here.
Current Card For Ric Flair’s Last Match
Impact World Championship Match: Josh Alexander (c) vs Jacob Fatu
Impact Knockouts World Championship Three-Way Match: Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rachael Ellering
Ren Narita vs. Yuya Uemura
Killer Kross (w/ Scarlett Bordeaux) vs Harry Smith
The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Kerry Morton and Ricky Morton) vs. The Four Horsemen (Brian Pillman Jr. and Brock Anderson)
Four-Corners Match: Alan Angels vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Nick Wayne
Bunkhouse Battle Royale: Adam Priest vs. Big Damo vs. Brian Myers vs. Bully Ray vs. Crimson vs. Crowbar vs. Gringo Loco vs. James Storm vs. Kal Herro vs. Komander vs. Rickey Shane Page vs. Sinn Bodhi vs. Wolfie D vs. TBA
Four-way Match: Rey Fenix vs Taurus vs Laredo Kid vs Bandido
The Von Erich (Marshall & Ross) vs The Briscoes
Ric Flair’s Retirement Match: Ric Flair and Andrade El Idolo vs. Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett
“My Royal Rumble stats are top 10, they’re phenomenal. So if I was to come back at that event, there is a chance I could actually get up in the top five and I’m all about that …. You never know! We’ll see.”
Rhodes currently boasts the ninth-longest cumulative time spent in Royal Rumble matches.
Cody’s Rumble History
Cody’s Royal Rumble stats are impressive, even though he has never won the prestigious 30-man match.
In his first Rumble in 2008, Cody, then a World Tag Team Champion lasted over 23 minutes, the eighth longest Superstar in the match.
A year later, Cody lasted over 37 minutes and was the second-to-last Superstar eliminated, making it to the final three.
Rhodes’ most impressive Royal Rumble performance was in 2012 when he lasted 41:59, the second-longest in the match behind The Miz.
He also eliminated six Superstars in that match, more than anyone else in the 2012 Rumble.
Cody Rhodes continues to recover from his pectoral injury, but the WWE star hasn’t stopped making headlines since he’s been away from the ring.
This week, Rhodes was at San Diego Comic Con on behalf of WWE along with several others from the company. There was a humorous moment during a presentation when some new WWE Mattel figures and titles were being revealed.
The presenter mentioned “new championships,” and Rhodes chimed in by saying “you can say belt.”
WWE has long had a rule, reportedly due to Vince McMahon’s wishes, that championships were not referred to as “belts” on television, or really, anywhere. This has been joked about in the wrestling community ad nauseam over the years as being over the top.
Sam Roberts was there and said that maybe Cody can say belts but others will get in trouble.
“They can fine me $1,000 every time I say belts. I’m fine with that. If they give me a title belt, sure it’s a championship, but it also physically goes around your waist. Those are great belts,” Rhodes responded (h/t Fightful).
Rhodes has a history with championship belts in WWE that has satisfied longtime fans and collectors. In 2012, he brought back a modified version of the iconic Reggie Parks Intercontinental Championship from the 1980s and 1990s.
There have been rumors that if Rhodes becomes WWE Champion in the future, he will bring back the famous “Winged Eagle” championship belt that WWE used from 1988 until 1998. To many fans, this is the greatest belt the company has ever had.
Of course, Rhodes seemed primed for a run at the WWE’s top prize, with a potential victory in the Money In The Bank match, until his injury sank those plans. Fans are hoping to see Rhodes return in time to make headlines at WrestleMania 39 next year.
Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.This week, we react to the news of Vince McMahon’s retirement.
WWE’s Cody Rhodes recently revealed that he was told by WWE to save the reveal of his torn pec for the Hell In A Cell premium live event.
Performing Through The Injury
At Hell in a Cell, Cody Rhodes entered the cell with a torn pectoral muscle. The injury was announced before the show, but Cody fought through and still wrestled against Seth Rollins.
While making his entrance, Rhodes covered up the injury with his American Nightmare ring jacket. He made the big reveal when he was in the ring with Rollins. Rollins, and the crowd, were stunned when they saw the intense bruising on Cody’s chest.
Cody Rhodes shows off more of his gnarly pec injury after match with Seth Rollins
Cody Was Told To Save The Reveal
When speaking to ComicBook, Cody talked about the big reveal:
“No one saw it, other than, I think Vince (McMahon) saw it. I was going to take my robe off for cameras, and the voice of God, whoever is head of production in that moment, I remember them saying, ‘Don’t.’ Stu, the camera operator, told me we were going to save it for the show. Very few people had actually seen it and how bad it was.
Through the day, it was getting worse because there was so much blood, so much blood under my skin. I’m almost anemic, so if you chop me or squeeze me, you can see it instantly. Just the perfect person to have their body ripped in half for that moment.”
A lot of things changed in WWE when Cody Rhodes was away rebuilding himself. According to the American Nightmare, the locker room was almost unrecognizable for him when he first came back.
The WWE star talked to James Williams on the ESPY red carpet. When asked about the changes in WWE he has noticed, Rhodes mentioned how the faces in the locker room have changed and how stars are treated differently:
“I think it’s changed so, so much. It’s unrecognizable to me as far as the return until I see someone like a Kofi or Xavier Woods, someone that I knew really well. One of the things that it’s changed, it’s such a healthy company in terms of [caring for talents]. I am two months out of surgery here. They won’t even give me a timeline because they’re afraid I’m gonna try and overtrain. Come back too soon.
The medical team, they’ve just been so wonderful to me. But yeah, with that change it also kind of highlights for you, you’re a grown up now. Even though I showed up at 20 years old in WWE, I’m not anymore. It’s time to be a grown up and having a daughter of my own makes it definitely is a different chapter in my career.”
‘I Am Always There: Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes who was once a rookie in the WWE locker room, is now a seasoned veteran. During the talk, he mentioned how his executive role in AEW didn’t suit him. However, now that people like The Undertaker and John Cena aren’t in the locker room anymore, Cody claimed that he is always there for anyone who needs his help:
“I’m always there for somebody, whether he ever asked me to or not. The first day I was there. I wanted to make sure Dominic Mysterio had my number. I’ve been there. It’s a hard, hard, hard walk ahead of you but [I’m] hoping he can absolutely make the best of it. So there are those young folks who didn’t get to wrestle Undertaker [and] John Cena, people like that. I was able to be in the ring with them. So all I can do is pass on what they knew and I can only do that when asked.”
Cody Rhodes won big at the ESPY Awards, bagging the trophy for the WWE Moment of the Year for his WrestleMania return. For the former AEW star, the best thing about his win was being nominated alongside people such as Stone Cold Steve Austin for his WrestleMania match and The Undertaker for his Hall of Fame speech among others.
The former TNT champion spoke to ComicBook.com at the San Diego Comic-Con. Speaking about his ESPY win, Cody explained why it means so much to him via a story. He recalled seeing posters of The Rock vs John Cena match, 2 years after it happened:
“It’s the best part of the ESPY. The best part of the ESPY was the fact that Steve was nominated, Undertaker was nominated and Cena was nominated and then I was nominated. That is by far the best part of the ESPY. Because in 2015, when I left in 2015.” recalled Cody Rhodes, “I remember even talking with WWE management about this. One of the crazy moments for me.
I was sitting outside the Scranton Wilkes-Barre hotel and the giant Mania bus that still was papered with Rock versus Cena. I remember just staring at it and wondering like how over are these guys and how long does this go. How do you get this? I remember just this defining [moment] ‘I don’t want to make excuses’ So last night to be in the same category with John and to be able to [get] that landslide win was pretty exciting.”
At WrestleMania 38, Cody Rhodes returned to WWE after a six-year absence, defeating Seth Rollins on the show.
In his time away, Rhodes had established himself as a top-tier star across the world and co-founded AEW in 2019.
Fans had assumed that Rhodes would remain with AEW for the rest of his career, making his return to WWE all the more shocking.
Cody’s Big Win
Cody Rhodes’ return to WWE at WrestleMania 38: Night One was certainly a huge moment for both him and the company, and has now been celebrated at the ESPY Awards.
At this week’s ceremony, Rhodes took home the award for WWE Moment of the Year, beating 15 other nominees in a fan-voted poll.
The three other finalists included ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin having his first match in 19 years, defeating Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38: Night One.
The Undertaker’s Hall of Fame speech in April 2022 was also a finalist, as was Big E’s Money in the Bank cash-in and WWE Championship win during the September 13, 2021, edition of Monday Night Raw.
In a red-carpet interview, Cody, who attended the event with his wife Brandi, said it was an honor to be nominated and extra special to win.
Cody is just the latest Superstar to win the ESPY Award for WWE Moment of the Year.
Last year, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair won the award for their WrestleMania 37: Night One main event which saw Belair win the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
In July 2019, Roman Reigns won the inaugural award for his return to WWE earlier that year, following his battle with Leukemia.
At WrestleMania 38, Cody Rhodes returned to WWE following a six-year hiatus from the company.
During his time away from WWE, Rhodes became a major star outside the promotion and co-founded AEW in 2019.
Rhodes returned to WWE by defeating Seth Rollins and would go on to defeat the former Universal Champion at the following two Premium Live Events.
Given his time away and association with AEW, Rhodes’ return has been one of the biggest WWE comebacks in years.
The Big Project
Rhodes had previously said in interviews that he would stay with AEW forever, and fans will soon learn more about his shocking return to the McMahon-led company.
In a surprise appearance on Busted Open Radio, Cody rung in and revealed that WWE is working on a documentary covering his return (via Wrestling Inc.)
“Little spoiler. For the past year, I don’t know if it was a year, but since WrestleMania, WWE has been doing a documentary on me potentially for Peacock. They’ve been filming this documentary, and then my titty explodes and the documentary changed greatly.”
Rhodes added that he has made a list of essential people in his life which he hopes are included on the documentary.
Cody did not reveal any names who are on the list he has given to WWE.
It is unclear if any names from AEW are on that list, or if WWE will reach out to them if they are.
WWE has allowed AEW talent on their shows in the past, with several AEW stars appearing via videos on the June 27, 2022 Raw, to praise John Cena.
Seth Rollins headlined the WWE Hell in a Cell event in June with Cody Rhodes, who had a torn pectoral muscle.
The pectoral muscle was completely off the bone ahead of the match, and Rhodes, who defeated Rollins inside the Hell in a Cell structure, had a huge bruise covering his upper body.
While speaking with Stephanie Chase for Digital Spy, Rollins noted that he didn’t expect Rhodes to look how he did and felt the same as everyone else in attendance.
“It was pretty gnarly. I don’t think I expected it to look like that. I’ve had some torn muscles in my day, and I know that the blood seeps down, gravity just takes over, but I had never seen anything like that. I remember Triple H had torn his pec some time ago at an event and shared a picture of it, and it was pretty brutal but nothing like what we saw from Cody at Hell in a Cell.
“His bicep, tricep, shoulder, pec it was down to his belly button almost, it was pretty gnarly. It was definitely shocking and I think the way I felt about it was how the audience in Chicago felt. They were just very uncomfortable for the first little bit. I think people were even wary just to cheer for him because it was so wild.”
Rollins stated it’s one of those things that he has never encountered before and was completely new to him to prepare for.
“It was a full hurdle thrown my way that I’d never seen before and so trying to wrap ourselves around it was an interesting process. I think what we got out of it was magic, how we got there wasn’t ideal but that’s life, you gotta roll with the punches sometimes.”
Rollins will face Riddle in a singles match at SummerSlam on July 30 in Nashville.
Being a performer in the wrestling industry is far from easy but the rewards can be quite special.
Cody Rhodes has been out of action after suffering a torn right pectoral muscle. Despite the injury, he turned in a gutsy performance against Seth Rollins in the main event of Hell in a Cell.
With nearly his entire arm being bruised, Rhodes delivered a classic against Rollins and scored the pinfall.
Unfortunately, Rhodes has been forced on the shelf for a while after undergoing surgery. In the midst of “hard times” is a message that makes the “American Dream” worth it.
Young Fan Wishes Cody Rhodes Well
A young fan attending an episode of Monday Night Raw sent a very special video message to Cody Rhodes.
Rhodes caught wind of the heartwarming message and he has responded.
Rhodes recently appeared on Busted Open Radio and revealed he nearly hemorrhaged during surgery for his torn pec. He admitted that doctors have remained coy on his recovery time as there appears to be a fear that he’ll try to push himself to return sooner than expected.
In a perfect world, Cody Rhodes will be ready for the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant in early 2023.
Many feel if he can return on time, then Cody could be primed for a world championship match at WrestleMania.
Time will tell if things ultimately pan out that way.
Cody Rhodes has not been removed from the upcoming AEW video game.
Rhodes sent shockwaves throughout the wrestling industry when he made his return to WWE earlier this year. He appeared at WrestleMania 38 to serve as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent.
Cody ended up winning the match, making his promotional return a triumphant one.
At the time, many were surprised that Cody, the man who helped build AEW, felt it was time to come back to WWE. While he’s no longer with AEW, there is no bad blood and that is quite evident with this latest bit of news.
Cody Rhodes Staying in AEW Video Game
(via Ricky Havlik /AEW)
Kenny Omega has had a big hand in helping with the upcoming AEW video game. During an interview with Sports Illustrated, he revealed that despite leaving the company, Cody Rhodes will still be in the game.
“This may come as a surprise to people, but Cody is still in the game. I was very passionate about making sure his legacy and position within the company were preserved.”
– Kenny Omega
Omega continued, “We’ve built this game from the ground up, starting everything from scratch. That’s why I thought this game could coincide with the birth of this company. You get to experience AEW from the beginning, from day one. The game is going to reflect a lot of that, even though our locker room is ever-changing.”
The AEW video game doesn’t have a solid release date. It was reported that the company was shooting for a September release but many agree that is a big ask.
Kenny told SI that he’s trying his best to get the game out before the end of 2022.
Cody Rhodes isn’t exactly planning to wait nine months to get back inside the ring.
Cody is out of action at the moment due to a completely torn pectoral muscle. Despite the injury, Rhodes toughed it out and took on Seth Rollins in the main event of Hell in a Cell. Rhodes ended up undergoing successful surgery.
WWE later announced that Cody would be missing action for nine months. It’s a timeframe that Rhodes doesn’t plan on following, however.
Cody Rhodes Not Interested In 9-Month Wait
(via WWE)
Cody Rhodes took to his Instagram Stories to reveal that he plans on making the timeframe for his return shorter than what WWE has announced.
“I’ve heard 9 months, that’s their plan… I’ve never concerned myself with other people’s projections – I’ve got a plan of my own – let’s finish, all of us.”
WWE ran an angle during the post-Hell in a Cell episode of Raw. Seth Rollins attacked Cody from behind with a sledgehammer. WWE used this as a way of explaining the nine-month timeframe.
Many expect Cody to be back in time for the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant. Time will tell if that is going to come to fruition.
It’s been reported that WWE will be giving Cody a hero’s welcome once he’s fully healed and ready to return to action.
Cody Rhodes isn’t expected back on WWE TV for months following his torn pectoral muscle suffered while training.
Despite the injury, Rhodes muscled through to defeat Seth Rollins at WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 in one of the gutsiest performances of his career.
On the Raw after Hell in a Cell, Rhodes was written off TV by a sledgehammer attack by Rollins.
Losing Rhodes is a huge blow to WWE who have made him the de facto face of the company since returning at WrestleMania 38, but the “American Nightmare” can expect a huge push upon his return.
Cody Rhodes – The New Triple H
A new report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes that there’s been talk about giving Cody a huge return, akin to Triple H in early 2002.
After “The Game” tore his quadriceps in mid-2001, he was out for months and had a lot of build to his January 2002 return.
WWE’s production team filmed Triple H’s surgery and recovery, with weeks of promotional videos hyping his return.
Triple H eventually returned to a thunderous response inside Madison Square Garden and captured the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 18.
Similarly, WWE reportedly recorded the entirety of Cody’s surgery and plans on using the footage in promotional packages.
Despite WWE reporting that he will be out for nine months, Cody is expected to return much sooner, and could be a selling point for the 2023 Royal Rumble.
The 2002 Rumble match marked Triple H’s first televised match back from his injury and he would win the 30-man bout.
Cody Rhodes has been one of WWE’s most prominently featured Superstars since returning to the company at WrestleMania 38.
Rhodes has three Premium Live Event victories over Seth Rollins and despite his recent torn pectoral injury, is expected to be in the main event scene for a long time to come.
Cody’s return this past April came after three years with All Elite Wrestling, and “The American Nightmare” has one interesting souvenir from his time working for Tony Khan.
The Throne
On Twitter, Cody shared an image of the infamous throne from AEW Double or Nothing 2019, the promotion’s first Pay Per View.
For his entrance, Rhodes destroyed a throne that bore a striking resemblance to one used by Triple H.
Destroying it with a sledgehammer (another symbol of “The Game”) the message was clearly a shot at WWE and their COO.
The image Rhodes shared also included Rhodes’ daughter Liberty Iris Runnels, who turns one year old tomorrow.
Cody Rhodes may be considered by many as the face of WWE these days, but it wasn’t too long ago that “The American Nightmare” was opposed to Vince McMahon’s company.
In an interview this past April, Cody said he takes some of the blame for the tribalism between WWE and AEW fans (via Cageside Seats.)
“Before making this WWE return, I’m taking little fun potshots and talking smack which is what wrestlers do. I think sometimes the fans that attach themselves to those statements forget that we are in the realm of entertainment, but I added to the tribalism myself.”
“After a vicious attack by Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, Rhodes had successful surgery on Thursday performed by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas to reattach his pectoral tendon. Rhodes will face a long recovery and will be unable to compete for nine months.”
Cody tore his right pectoral muscle completely off the bone while preparing for his Hell in a Cell match with Seth Rollins. Despite most of his pec and arm being bruised, Cody went through with the match and put on one of the best performances of his career.
Rhodes has been widely praised for his gutsy performance at the WWE Hell in a Cell premium live event on June 5. Ahead of his third televised encounter with Seth Rollins, Cody completely tore his right pectoral muscle.
Brandi Rhodes, Cody’s wife, took to her Twitter account to share some good news. Cody’s pectoral tendon was torn completely off of the bone, which makes his performance at Hell in a Cell even more impressive. Thankfully, surgery was successful and his recovery journey begins.
The doctor just repaired Cody's pectoral tendon which was torn completely off the bone. Successful surgery. He is on the road to recovery now.
During the post-Hell in a Cell episode of Raw, Cody hinted at still trying to perform at Money in the Bank on July 2 but he’s expected to miss four to six months of action.
Cody was attacked by Rollins on the June 6 episode of Raw but refused assistance and walked to the back on his own power.
When Cody Rhodes cut his first promo back in WWE since his return, he established a mission statement of winning the title his father never had the chance to—the WWE Championship. Based on the way he was booked to sweep a three-match series with Seth Rollins, it would appear he was on track for just that accomplishment.
While his injury to his pectoral muscle may have seemed to derail that momentum the fact that he still won his last match before stepping away inside Hell in a Cell, and delivered such a well-received, gritty performance in the process suggest he may well pick up where he left off and still be on track to wind up WWE Champion. But what will that road look like?
Cody Wins The Royal Rumble As a Surprise Entrant
WWE Royal Rumble
For the last three decades, there’s been no better established traditional journey to the WWE Championship than winning the Royal Rumble and going on to challenge for the title at WrestleMania. Early reports suggest Cody Rhodes will miss six-to-twelve months for this injury. If he can return on the early end of that range, he would fit the mold of electrifying surprise entrants to the Royal Rumble and would make a lot of sense as a choice to win it all.
Of course, that opens the question of whom Rhodes would challenge at WrestleMania. It would not make sense for him to go toe to toe with Roman Reigns there, assuming the rumored plans are true for Reigns to face The Rock in LA.
Additionally, Reigns is about the only WWE roster member who still feels off limits for The American Nightmare to defeat. Seth Rollins could, however, be in play.
Cody Helps Seth Rollins Win the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble
It’s not unheard of for a world title match to go on after the Royal Rumble at the annual PPV, or with two Rumble matches in the mix, the men’s could go on early while the women’s version closes the show. Whatever the mechanics may be, Cody Rhodes could win the Royal Rumble, then have an active role in Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship later in the show.
Rollins is an established enough top tier star for WWE that he’ll never not make sense in a world title picture. Moreover, given the fact he technically beat Reigns at Royal Rumble 2022, there’s some poeticism to him getting his rematch at Royal Rumble 2023. With only the WWE Championship on the line, Rhodes could be the difference maker in helping Rollins win this match and title.
That finish would protect Reigns, and he might even be confronted by a returning Rock after the match, to offer a reason for him not to immediately seek revenge on Rhodes. Meanwhile it would make some sense to put the WWE title on Rollins, whom Rhodes has unfinished business with after The Messiah attacked him during his last appearance on Raw.
Cody Beats Seth Rollins At WrestleMania
(WWE)
While there’s a large portion of the WWE audience that’s ready to move on from Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins, their story really does feel incomplete given the way Rollins attacked an already injured American Nightmare. Rhodes vs. Rollins one more time at WrestleMania can pay off that storyline, give Rhodes a champion to beat who’s not Roman Reigns, and, importantly, would all but guarantee another excellent match. It might even feel somewhat fresh again after ten months of the two not working matches together.
With Rhodes going 4-0 against Rollins, the story could truly be finished between these two, and bring The American Nightmare’s comeback journey full circle with another huge WrestleMania victory.
Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns
(WWE)
If The Rock vs. Roman Reigns does happen at WrestleMania 39, it’s not clear who would emerge victorious. On one hand, The Rock is a wrestling legend and legit A-list celebrity whom fans would buy beating Reigns. On the other hand, it seems unlikely Rock will stick around WWE to defend a title or work many more matches at all after this one. Also, Reigns beating Rock may be a proper capstone to his dominant run.
Cody Rhodes would remain one of the few top talents Reigns hadn’t defeated, and with the story of him costing The Tribal Chief the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble—not to mention winning the title himself afterward—it would only be natural for the two to clash after WrestleMania, maybe saving the dream match for SummerSlam.
It’s too soon to say which of the two would make sense as the winner, but it’s a natural destination for both to head to, after The American Nightmare realizes his destiny as WWE Champion.
Time will tell how things play out, with injuries, fan reactions, a Money in the Bank briefcase, and other wrestlers surging with momentum all in play to alter the future of WWE. Nonetheless, the story of Cody Rhodes vs. WWE Champion Seth Rollins (and by extension Roman Reigns) can begin at the 2023 Royal Rumble.
WWE Raw Superstar Cody Rhodes has kept fans informed about his torn pectoral muscle which will require surgery.
Hours before last weekend’s WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 Premium Live Event, Rhodes tore the muscle off the bone during a training session.
Despite the injury, Rhodes fought through the pain to compete at the show, defeating Seth Rollins in the main event.
WWE allowed Cody to wrestle despite his injury, believing he could not do more damage to the torn muscle.
Rhodes has taken to Instagram stories to share several photos of the bruising progression of the injury prior to Hell in a Cell.
The Road to Recovery
After defeating Rollins in a match that WWE was “thrilled” with, Rhodes was attacked by the former Universal Champion on this week’s Raw.
It was initially reported that an injury like the one Cody suffered could take six months to a year to recover from.
Cody is expected to make a full recovery if the surgery on his pectoral goes well.
Former WWE medic Dr. Chao has said that Cody should be healed up within four to six months, and could even do some stuff within just over three months if it was carefully scripted.
Rhodes’ injury has forced WWE to change plans given that he was being established as the top babyface in the company.
On Raw, “The American Nightmare” expressed a desire to compete at Money in the Bank on July 2, but that seems highly unlikely now.
There’s some good news for fans of Cody Rhodes and WWE officials.
Cody has taken the wrestling world by storm since making his return to WWE. Rhodes left AEW back in February and served as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38 back in April.
Since his return to WWE, the company has treated him as a top star but “The American Nightmare” has hit a bump in the road.
Full Recovery Expected
Ahead of his Hell in a Cell match with Rollins, Cody Rhodes completely tore his pectoral tendon off the bone while training. Despite his pec and arm almost being completely bruised, Rhodes toughed it out and defeated Rollins a third time.
Former WWE surgeon, Dr. Chao recently appeared on Busted Open Radio. During his appearance, he revealed that Cody should be able to fully recover if the surgery goes well.
“I expect a full 100% recovery. For him to get as good as he can be, it might be six months. By four months, I think it’s realistic he could do some wrestling and maybe even three months a little bit of careful scripted stuff.”
Cody Rhodes is set to undergo surgery this week for his torn pectoral muscle.
It was announced over the weekend that Rhodes had suffered an injury ahead of his Hell In A Cell match with Seth Rollins last night in Chicago.
After rumors began to circulate, WWE confirmed the news on their broadcast, claiming Rhodes partially tore the pectoral muscle during a brawl with Seth Rollins, and later fully tore it during a weight lifting session.
Despite this, Cody Rhodes still competed inside Hell In A Cell against Rollins last night in what was an all-time classic, eventually securing the victory. However, he’ll now need to undergo surgery and rehab, which will keep him sidelined for some time.
Recovery Time from Pectoral Tear Surgery
According to the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute, the rehab process for such an injury can take anywhere from six months to a year. The first part of the rehab process consists of managing the pain and swelling and initiating a range of motion in the shoulder and arm.
Light strength training usually begins about 2 to 3 months after surgery. It can take up to a year to regain normal strength in the repaired pectoralis major.
This is a big setback for WWE, who has been priming Rhodes as their top baby face on Monday Night RAW since making his triumphant return at WrestleMania 38.
With the expected recovery time, this will likely affect WWE’s top spot for the majority of the year. All that being said, a return at WrestleMania 39 is looking like the best case scenario for “The All American Nightmare.”
Injuries seem to be running rampant in professional wrestling at the moment, as All Elite Wrestling (AEW) recently lost World Champion CM Punk to an injury that will require surgery as well.
AEW was forced to create an interim title while CM Punk works his way back up to health. We’ll keep you updated on Cody Rhodes’ injury situation as more information becomes available.
WWE appears to be in awe of Cody Rhodes following the Hell in a Cell event.
The HIAC premium live event took place this past Sunday night inside the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. In the main event, Cody Rhodes defeated Seth Rollins in a memorable Hell in a Cell match.
There was a lot of uncertainty going into the main event.
Word broke that Cody suffered a pectoral tear after WWE announced at a live event that he had been injured. The company later confirmed he completely tore the tendon off the bone.
WWE Officials Ecstatic Following HIAC
(via WWE)
When Cody Rhodes took his entrance jacket off for the match with Seth Rollins, he revealed just how brutal-looking his injury was. He was nearly completely bruised from the pectoral to the arm.
A report from WrestlingNews.co noted that Cody was allowed to compete at Hell in a Cell because more damage wasn’t possible with a completely torn pectoral. The report mentioned that had he had a partial tear, he likely wouldn’t have been allowed to perform.
Another note from the report is WWE gave Cody the option to not wrestle but he insisted on going out there.
WrestleVotes is now reporting that WWE officials are over the moon with Cody Rhodes’ performance. Rollins is also being given his due and internally, this is considered an all-time classic in WWE history.
I’ve had multiple sources reach out this morning w/ exemplary words for the performance Cody Rhodes put in last night. Credit to Seth Rollins as well. Those at Gorilla were said to have LOVED the match. A modern day, all time classic HIAC that WWE will treat as much going forward
“I’ve had multiple sources reach out this morning w/ exemplary words for the performance Cody Rhodes put in last night. Credit to Seth Rollins as well. Those at Gorilla were said to have LOVED the match. A modern-day, all-time classic HIAC that WWE will treat as much going forward.”
