Hell in a Cell wound up being a better show than most fans likely expected it to be. The night was capped off with a great HIAC match between Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes. Not only was the third match in as many months between the two made different by the additon of WWE's most demonic structure, but Rhodes was also wrestling with a pec that was reportedly torn right off the bone.
Rhodes To Undergo Surgery
Any lingering doubt that Rhodes wasn't really injured evaporated when The American Nightmare removed his jacket. A bruise covering a large part of Rhodes' chest and running down his arm confirmed the injury was very real. 12 hours later, it's still unclear how exactly Rhodes managed to do so much in the match. He must have been in a tremendous amount of pain.
After HIAC went off the air, Rhodes addressed fans in the All-State Arena, revealing that he will be informing everyone about his immediate future on Raw tonight. Well, some of what Rhodes has to say appears to have leaked ahead of time. Fightful Select (via Inside The Ropes) has reported this morning that the former TNT Champion will undergo surgery on the pec tear this Thursday.
Potential Recovery Timeline
Fightful's report also includes historical information on how long other wrestlers with similar injuries to Rhodes' have needed to recover. Triple H needed five months off before he could wrestle again after surgery to repair a pec tear. The Game posted a photo of his injury shortly after he suffered it, and the bruising was remarkably similar to what Rhodes displayed at HIAC. Elias also needed five months off after a pec tear, while John Cena famously managed to make it back to the ring in less than four.
Rhodes potentially needing the next five months off may well throw a spanner into WWE's big summer plans. A third win over Rollins, continuing Rhodes' unbeaten run that remains intact since his WWE return, suggests he really is one of the frontrunners to win a World Title from Roman Reigns in the near future. Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer hinted that Rhodes could be out of action until Royal Rumble 2023. If the injury is as serious as it seems, it's unlikely Rhodes will be appearing at any of WWE's three major summer shows.
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