WrestleMania 42 delivered a hard-hitting main event on Night 1, where Cody Rhodes defended his Undisputed WWE title against Randy Orton. The match quite lived up to expectations, but what happened afterward has raised concerns about Rhodes’ injury and his update for future appearances.
The match itself was very physical. There was some outside involvement from Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll. McAfee was taken out early, came back later as a referee, and ended up getting hit with an RKO. In the end, Rhodes managed to fight through everything and beat Orton to retain his title.
But the win came at a price.
After the match, Rhodes was seen with a badly injured eye. His left eye was almost completely swollen shut. At first, fans thought Orton’s Punt Kick might have done the damage. Later reports suggested it likely happened during a late moment in the match, either from a hard punch or an accidental hit during a move like the Cody Cutter.
There is some good news, but also some uncertainty.
Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 42 injury leaves WWE Backlash plans uncertain
According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, Cody Rhodes was put into concussion protocol right after the match. But it now seems to have been just a safety step, and he likely didn’t suffer a concussion.
There were also fears that he might have a broken orbital bone, which would have kept him out for a long time. But the early checks suggest there is no fracture. However, doctors haven’t completed a full evaluation yet, so nothing is completely confirmed.
Rhodes also needed four stitches and three staples. That shows how severe the injury was. Because of this, WWE has pulled him from all appearances at WWE World after WrestleMania.
Photos and appearances after the WrestleMania match made things look even more serious, with heavy swelling around his eye. That has made fans even more worried, especially with Backlash coming up soon.
Right now, it’s unclear if Cody Rhodes will be ready for Backlash. It all depends on how his injury heals and what doctors say in the coming days.
WWE Backlash 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Tampa, Florida.
Read More: Cody Rhodes Out Indefinitely Due To Severe Eye Injury
