Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is reportedly set to undergo surgery Thursday to repair his torn right pectoral muscle.

Fightful Select reported Rhodes is expected to appear on Monday's Raw to address the crowd before undergoing the procedure. The American Nightmare battled through the gruesome injury to defeat Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell on Sunday, but he's expected to miss several months of action.

WWE will likely give a more concrete timetable once Rhodes undergoes the procedure. Recent wrestling history would give a rough timeline of 4-6 months, though the front end of that has typically been seen as a medical marvel (ala John Cena).

Rhodes' injury could arguably not have come at a worse possible time for himself or WWE. The first major defection from AEW to WWE, Rhodes has been positioned as the top babyface on the Raw brand and has gotten overwhelmingly positive reception for his promos, matches and interaction with fans since his return.

His arrival also came as a much-needed boost to the WWE roster, which has struggled in finding babyface talent that stays over with the crowd for an extended period. Rhodes seemed primed to perhaps win the Money in the Bank briefcase next month and perhaps unseat Roman Reigns for the WWE championship.

The injury will put an extended pause on those potential plans and leave WWE without an obvious in-house challenger to Reigns' throne.

Rhodes' presence has also helped somewhat obscure the fact that Reigns has scaled back his on-screen appearances since WrestleMania, which has kept the WWE and Universal championships off TV. The impact has been significant on SmackDown, but the Rhodes-Rollins feud was able to carry Raw for much of the buildup for Hell in a Cell.

It's hard to tell what direction WWE goes from here. Just don't be surprised if the Tribal Chief starts pulling more double duty with Rhodes on the mend.

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Brandi Comments on Cody Wrestling Through Injury

Advisable medical decision or not, Cody Rhodes went into Hell in a Cell on Sunday with a torn pec and came away victorious.

The match was, quite frankly, a career-defining moment for Rhodes and one of the most jarring displays of fortitude in wrestling history. Not only did Cody wrestle essentially with one arm, he put on a banger with Seth Rollins and came away victorious.

We all expect Rhodes to miss several months in the aftermath of the injury, but no one could stop talking about the performance late Sunday night. Included in those astounded: Rhodes' wife, Brandi, who said she will use the moment as a lesson for the couple's daughter.

As far as life lessons on perseverance go, what Cody pulled off Sunday night is a pretty great one.

That being said, maybe tying a bull rope around your arm while having a torn muscle in your body is where we can draw the "I can't" line as acceptable.

WWE Building Toward Becky vs. Bianca at SummerSlam

Even though Becky Lynch was part of Sunday's triple-threat match for the Raw women's championship, she has not gotten a chance at a one-on-one rematch.

It turns out that's because WWE is saving it for a marquee event.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio said he expects Lynch vs. Belair to take place at SummerSlam.

“I would figure that’s SummerSlam [Becky Lynch vs Bianca Belair]. It was very clear that they were holding that match off for a while," Meltzer said. "I don’t think they’re going to wait for Mania because they don’t have the depth, probably, to wait til Mania. But, I figure they’ll wait to SummerSlam for that and that’s why they didn’t do it here.

"Really, they didn’t even want Becky in the match here. It was just one of those things where, and I was a little bit surprised, because I figured, eh, just go with a singles match with Asuka, but for whatever reason, they decided instead to go with a three-way.”

A Lynch vs. Belair rematch on the summer's biggest stage would make some level of sense, though Big Time Becks has spent months needling Trish Status as well. If the WWE Hall of Famer is willing to make a comeback, that could be a way to get three different marquee women's matches on the card: a Ronda Rousey match, Lynch vs. Stratus and whoever is chosen to take on Belair.

Bryan Danielson Injured but Not Seriously

The injury bug is eating away at the top of AEW and WWE's cards.

From Cody Rhodes to CM Punk to Kenny Omega, both companies are dealing with major stars needing extended time off television.

Luckily, it seems Bryan Danielson will not be joining that list.

Danielson was conspicuously absent from AEW's California debut last week and missed a meet-and-greet with fans because of an undisclosed injury. However, Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer reported Danielson is only expected to miss one-to-two weeks with the injury.

That's a massive relief to an AEW roster that suddenly got thin at the top overnight because of a rash of injuries. AEW has generally had good luck with its stars staying healthy, allowing the company to tell elongated stories over several months (or years) without missing a beat.

It does not appear Danielson's injury is serious enough to warrant any alterations in his planned storylines. With the Forbidden Door pay-per-view just weeks away, it'll be interesting to see how AEW sets up his potential New Japan opponent without getting physical.

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Cody Rhodes is truly one of one.

When he declared he was the best in the world upon his return to WWE, some fans scoffed at the idea. However, you have to admire his confidence and conviction to bet on himself and win big.

At Sunday's Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, he proved once again that his indomitable will makes him one of the most captivating performers in professional wrestling.

It was hard not to question The American Nightmare’s decision to leave All Elite Wrestling; a company that was partially built off his back. Many of us wondered if he would be the same Rhodes who went on an unbelievable run as the hottest babyface on that roster in 2019.

However, his first major feud with WWE should silence many detractors because he and Seth Rollins have delivered an all-time great rivalry. Their trilogy of matches has been excellent and it’s more than enough to demonstrate why the second-generation star should be in line to be the next world champion.

A Legendary Reintroduction

Rhodes had one of the biggest moments of WrestleMania 38. His entrance was everything fans hoped it would be and underlined he was an even bigger star than when cast aside in the Stardust persona previously. Even more, he and Rollins put on a spectacular showing on Night 1 of The Show of Shows.

Still, it would’ve been easy for him to rest on his laurels and coast on such a high-profile match and the buzz of being the first major AEW star to jump ship. Instead, he helped to reinvigorate the company’s flagship show and put on another great PPV match at WrestleMania: Backlash.

The newest addition to the WWE roster didn’t stop there. One could argue that his first two matches with Rollins were good but they didn’t have any heat; there was no storyline for fans to sink their teeth into.

So, they upped the ante in the build to their latest encounter at Hell in a Cell.

Rollins deserves so much credit for this because his heel work afforded Rhodes a tremendous catalyst to show off the impassioned character we initially fell in love with.

The segments between the two have gotten better and better each week, culminating in a fantastic exchange of words on the go-home episode of Raw. The proceeding pull-apart brawl was also convincing and helped to sell us on this heated rivalry.

Nevertheless, an unexpected turn of events would add even more intrigue to the upcoming match.

A Gutsy but Questionable Performance

On Sunday afternoon, WWE announced Rhodes sustained a partially torn pectoral tendon but he would still compete in the main event.

This seemed unfathomable, but The American Nightmare still marched to the ring determined to entertain the Chicago crowd.

Once he took off his ring coat and revealed a gruesome bruise across his chest and arm, a hush washed over the Allstate Arena. Fans online shared the image in disbelief that he was taking part in such a brutal match stipulation with a serious injury.

Across the ring, Rollins mocked his adversary by wearing the black-and-yellow polka dots made famous by his father, the late Dusty Rhodes.

Nevertheless, The American Nightmare remained undeterred. It was either a reckless and short-sighted decision or a brave and gutsy performance from a fiery babyface seeking to etch his name in the annals of pro wrestling history.

We certainly hope the 36-year-old didn’t take more time off of his career to make sure the Hell in a Cell match went on as scheduled. We also hope he didn’t send the wrong message to some fans who may use this as an example as to why others should be able to work injured if need be.

However, Rhodes excelled with a limited range of motion in his right arm and essentially defeated Rollins with one good appendage. Reckless or not, it was a sight to behold as the two told an enthralling story in the demonic structure in what could be one of the most memorable Hell in a Cell matches to date.

It was uncomfortable to watch at times, but it was hard not to feel the excitement when The American Nightmare finally executed the Pedigree. There were many allusions to Triple H throughout the match including the use of a sledgehammer. The King of Kings even suffered a similar pec injury in 2018.

Say what you will about Rhodes but he remains one of the most influential wrestlers of his generation for a reason. If anyone thought he would play it safe with WWE, his first feud on his return to the company proved he will continue to give us unforgettable moments and the industry is a better place because of him.

To that end, Rhodes shined the brightest on a night when Roman Reigns was absent, and he proved himself as a capable main-eventer.

Cody Rhodes put an end to his feud with Seth Rollins at WWE Hell in a Cell on Sunday by beating The Visionary in a same-titled match.

Prior to the pay-per-view, WWE announced Rhodes had suffered a torn right pectoral muscle. He competed on Sunday with gruesome bruise on his arm and chest, and he was unable to lift his arm properly.

However, The American Nightmare overcame the injury to defeat Rollins for the third time. He earned the pin after delivering his Cross Rhodes finisher twice and then hitting his opponent with a sledgehammer.

The rivalry between the two men dates back to WrestleMania 38 when Rhodes made his return to WWE after six years away as Rollins' surprise opponent.

The American Nightmare won that contest and began his stated march toward one day becoming WWE champion, but Rollins was unwilling to let it go and wanted to get revenge on his rival.

The Visionary had that opportunity at WrestleMania Backlash, claiming he would beat Rhodes in the rematch since he had ample opportunity to prepare for his opponent.

Instead, the former All Elite Wrestling star defeated the former universal champion again, this time while holding his trunks during a pinning combination as a means of trying to get back at his opponent for doing the same.

The manner in which Rhodes won only served to infuriate The Visionary even more, and it led to the escalation of their feud with both Superstars agreeing to settle things inside Hell in a Cell.

As had been the case throughout their rivalry, Rollins did all he could to get inside Rhodes' head, including orchestrating a sneak attack on the May 23 episode of Raw.

Rollins interfered in a match between Rhodes and The Miz, causing a disqualification. He upped the ante by taking the weight belt his rival had given to a child at ringside and hit The American Nightmare across the back with it.

The Visionary then appeared at Sunday's PPV in the same ring attire made famous by his opponent's father, Dusty Rhodes.

With Rollins clearly getting desperate to salvage the feud by winning inside the cell, the pressure was on Rhodes to make it a clean sweep.

He did precisely that and has now positioned himself to take another step toward world title contention.

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It appears Sunday's Hell in a Cell main event will go on as planned after Cody Rhodes' injury threatened to derail it.

On Sunday night, WWE announced Rhodes is dealing with a partially torn right pectoral tendon but still intends to participate:

The injury held him out of Saturday's live event in Champaign, Illinois. Rhodes was initially slated to compete with Seth Rollins at the event and was replaced by Drew McIntyre.

It's worth noting that Rhodes ran out after Rollins' loss to McIntyre.

Had Rhodes been unable to compete, it would have been a crushing blow to a Premium Live Event that was already lacking a bit in terms of intrigue. Roman Reigns is off the card, meaning neither of the top men's titles is being defended at the event. The United States championship and Raw women's title are the only belts on the line in Sunday's card, which puts an even greater onus on the Rhodes-Rollins match.

Rhodes vs. Rollins is the seeming final in a trilogy of matches that began at WrestleMania, which saw Cody win in his return to WWE. He one-upped Rollins a second time at WrestleMania Backlash, leading to a Hell in a Cell challenge.

Nearly every promotional item for the PLE features Rhodes, and the match is the obvious main event on the card. It's also the only match currently scheduled to take place inside Hell in a Cell.

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