Former AEW TNT Champion Dustin Rhodes will miss in-ring action until at least 2026.
Dustin Rhodes lost the TNT Title to Kyle Fletcher in a street fight last week on AEW Collision. During the match, Fletcher hit him in the head with a screwdriver and then used a Brainbuster to score the win and claim the AEW TNT Championship for the first time in his career.
After the match, Fletcher continued attacking Rhodes, focusing on his injured knee. As he celebrated on the ramp with the Don Callis Family, medical staff took Rhodes away on a stretcher. The next day, Rhodes posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying he needed “a very invasive major surgery” because of the damage Fletcher caused.
Dustin Rhodes also shut down speculation that his injury announcement was part of a storyline.
Now, a new report from Fightful (via Fightful Select) revealed more details, confirming that Rhodes is dealing with a knee injury and will undergo double knee surgery. The report stated that he’ll be out of action for an extended period, with no return expected before 2026.
Dustin Rhodes captured the TNT Championship last month at AEW All In: Texas. He successfully defended the title against Lee Moriarty, but his second defense didn’t go as planned. After suffering an injury that will keep him out until 2026, Rhodes leaves the door open for a new challenger to step up against Kyle Fletcher.
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