Cody Rhodes didn’t waste time returning after his nasty WrestleMania 42 injury, and now he’s explaining exactly why.
While speaking to Joe Tessitore, Cody Rhodes reflected on the brutal injury he suffered against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 and said the real statement came after the match, when he got up and walked out on his own.
“What I would say is everything you needed to know about me—everything you needed to know—happened after. I got up and I walked. I didn’t put on some silly Manila neck brace, I didn’t have myself boarded away.”
Rhodes said he tried to make eye contact with as many people as possible after the match to send a clear message: he was still champion and still present. The American Nightmare admitted he was lucky to leave with the Undisputed WWE Championship and avoid even worse damage, including a concussion or orbital fracture.
“I got up, I walked out, and I tried to make eye contact with as many people as I could and let them know two things—still the champ, still here. And if that’s Randy Orton’s best shot—and Randy Orton was at his best ever—what does that say? That’s a night where I was lucky to leave with the championship that means the most to our game, but also leave without a concussion, leave without an orbital fracture. And I was able to show people, like you said—it’s going to heal.”
When asked why it was so important to return quickly and reestablish himself as WWE’s QB1, Rhodes said the answer comes down to consistency. Rhodes then explained that wrestling always has new names and hot acts, but the top stars he admired were the ones who showed up every week.
“It felt very important, because you say QB1—what is QB1? If anything, and maybe the biggest thing I’ve learned, it’s consistency. There’s always a flavor of the month, right? There’s always some hot new thing—and good for it. That’s exciting when the crowd gets behind something new. But all my favorites, all the QB1s before me, were consistent. Week in and week out.”
Cody also addressed comparisons to John Cena’s workhorse model, saying he doesn’t mind those jokes because Cena’s path is one worth following. He said most people avoid that model because it requires constant work.
“And now there are all these jokes about how I’ve tried to follow the John Cena model. I don’t mind those jokes at all—that’s a hell of a model. Most people run from it because it means work. It means work.”
The Undisputed WWE Champion stated that he knows other top WWE names may choose a more strategic, less frequent schedule, but that is not how he wants to operate and he will just do things his way. For Cody, the answer is simple: he wants to be there every week and lead by showing up.
“And I’m also aware of the other QBs in WWE. If their strategy is ‘less is more,’ if their strategy is more strategic, then I’m not going to play that game. I’ll do it differently. I’ll be here every week. I’ll see this team every week. It’s not a matter of who’s right or wrong—it’s just my preference.”
This comes after Rhodes previously shared backstage photos from WrestleMania 42 showing the bloody aftermath of his match with Randy Orton, including his left eye swollen shut while medical staff worked on him. He had also revealed the strange but relieving message he heard from his doctor: “You won’t lose the eye…” has to be the most positive yet absurd thing I’ve ever heard in a doctors office.”
Now, Cody is already set to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against GUNTHER at Clash in Italy on May 31. His quick return may have surprised some people, but Rhodes made it clear that being WWE’s top guy means showing up, even when he’s banged up.
Do you respect Cody Rhodes returning so quickly after his WrestleMania 42 injury, or should he have taken more time to recover? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
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