Dustin Rhodes is getting closer to stepping back inside the ring after he underwent a brutal double knee replacement surgery.
The AEW veteran has been out of action after undergoing double knee replacement surgery in August 2025, a major procedure that left fans wondering whether he would wrestle again. Rhodes has stayed involved with AEW behind the scenes, but now he is making it clear that an in-ring return may not be far away.
While speaking on the What Happened When podcast, Dustin Rhodes opened up about the difficult recovery process and revealed that he is not cleared just yet, though he believes he is getting very close now.
“So, I went and I got double knee replacements and it was a hard couple months. The first two months were pretty bad. My wife was, you know, waiting on me hand and foot, but they wanted you walking, so I did as much walking as possible. Been back to work a little bit for coaching. Not quite cleared yet, but I think we’re very close. And I can’t wait to see what I can do for the next year and a half, two years before I retire.”
Rhodes was previously spotted backstage at AEW’s Fresno taping in March, where he was working as a Producer. He was also seen inside the ring before the show, running the ropes as he worked toward being cleared by AEW’s medical team.
“Rhodes was working as a Producer. He was also in the ring at one point before the show running the ropes in the ring, likely working towards being cleared by AEW’s medical team to perform in the ring.”
That was an encouraging sign, since running the ropes is often one of the physical tests wrestlers use to see how their body holds up after an injury or surgery. Rhodes also said during the podcast that he hopes to return very soon. Still, he admitted there is some mental hesitation because he does not fully know how his knees will respond once he is back in action.
“Oh, yeah. Yeah. Hopefully. Hopefully, very soon. It’s driving me crazy right now. Idle hands, man. I need to be doing something. Even if it’s just a little bit, you know, because it’s still the unknown for me. The knees. I don’t know. Okay. Are they going to hold up? I’m sure they will, but it’s in the back of my mind, you know. It’s like, oh God, can I still do this? Will it be okay? And I’m sure I will. I talked to Sting about it. He said, ‘You’re going to be fine.’ So, it’s just getting out of my own head. It’s not a good place to be. Anybody in their own head, you know? It blocks a lot of happiness and progress.”
For now, Dustin Rhodes is continuing to help AEW behind the scenes while pushing toward a possible return to competition. He may not be medically cleared yet, but based on his latest comments, Rhodes believes he is very close to finding out what he can still do before calling time on his legendary career.
What do you think about Dustin Rhodes wanting to return to the ring after double knee replacement surgery? Do you want to see him wrestle again in AEW? Let us know your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
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