Cody Rhodes came back from his nasty WrestleMania 42 eye injury almost immediately, but apparently he was dealing with more than everyone realized. Cody now says he suffered a minor orbital fracture that affected his peripheral vision and “super slowed down” his work after WrestleMania.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on October 22, Cody looked back at the injury he suffered during his match against Randy Orton. While he managed to avoid a more serious fracture, he admitted there was still some orbital damage.
“I think we skated by with a little bit of an orbital fracture, and that’s not on anyone’s fault but my own… It was bad.”
Cody had previously made a point of showing everyone that he could get up, walk out of WrestleMania and then keep showing up for WWE. Looking back now, though, he isn’t exactly thrilled with himself for pushing through it.
“I think we skated by a little bit of an orbital fracture, and I think I am mad at myself for doing so because it’s affected my work since, super slowed down.”
The injury didn’t just leave Cody with a nasty-looking swollen eye either. When Van Vliet asked whether his peripheral vision had been affected, Cody confirmed that it had been impacted to some degree.
“Yeah, just to a degree, to a little bit, and I feel like that’s—you can’t go out there QB1 and saying you’re in your prime, and you’re the best you’ve ever been if you’re dealing with something that’s a bit of a hindrance like that.”
The good news is Cody says he’s finally past it. Whatever issues he was dealing with following WrestleMania aren’t something he considers an ongoing problem anymore.
“But at this point we’re out the woods. I got through it.”
That doesn’t mean Cody suddenly thinks pushing through the injury was the smartest thing to do. He admitted he has a pretty unhealthy mentality when it comes to wrestling hurt, where his immediate instinct is simply to tape up whatever is bothering him and get back out there.
“I showed up the next night. I am toxic as can be when it comes to physical stuff. Toxic as can be. I can go. Tape it up. I can go.”
It’s hardly the first time Cody has done that. His torn pectoral muscle in 2022 became one of the most memorable examples when he still wrestled Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell despite the gruesome injury.
Cody knows that kind of mentality isn’t something younger wrestlers should be copying. In fact, he went out of his way to warn them against following his example when they’re legitimately hurt.
“I’m letting you know that’s not good. If you’re a young wrestler, don’t do it. Don’t! Live to fight another day.”
The problem is Cody doesn’t seem entirely sure how to follow his own advice. Whether it’s his love of wrestling or simply his ego, he admitted there’s something inside him that makes sitting on the sidelines incredibly difficult.
“Something about me can’t not want to go. I don’t know what it is. I love it too much. Maybe it’s ego. I don’t know, but I just can’t not. Yeah, that was a nasty one.”
Cody previously explained that returning so quickly after WrestleMania was about consistency and proving he could continue being WWE’s “QB1.” Now he’s admitting that decision came with a price, as the injury continued affecting his work and vision even after he was back on television.
Cody says he’s finally “out the woods,” but his latest comments reveal just how much he was hiding while continuing to work after WrestleMania. He may pride himself on showing up no matter what, but even Cody recognizes that his refusal to stop when he’s hurt isn’t necessarily something worth celebrating.
What do you think about Cody Rhodes admitting his WrestleMania 42 injury continued affecting his work after he returned? Let us know in the comments below.
