Big news on Cody Rhodes after he no-showed WWE SmackDown

Cody Rhodes' continued absence from WWE since his WrestleMania 41 loss to John Cena has left everyone perplexed. Amid this, The American Nightmare has been spotted in Orlando, enjoying his time off away from the global juggernaut.

Cody was visibly distraught after losing his Undisputed Title at The Show of Shows. Though most expected him to address his loss and lay out his post-Mania plans soon after, Cody Rhodes has been away from the promotion's programming for over a month now. Moreover, despite being advertised for last week's SmackDown, he didn't make it to the show, leaving fans with more questions.

Now, a new picture of The American Nightmare has been circulating on the internet, where he can be spotted with his wife, Brandi Rhodes, and a few others. The former Undisputed Champion posed standing outside the Epic Universe in Orlando, which is about two hours away from Tampa, Florida, where WWE would be hosting Saturday Night's Main Event this weekend. Check it out below:

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Bully Ray addresses Cody Rhodes' WWE absence

On a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray stated that he missed seeing Cody on WWE's weekly programming. However, Ray added that this was a good thing as this was make his eventual return even more emotional for fans.

"We miss him, and that's a good thing. Where is Cody Rhodes? I don't want to see Cody right now, but that doesn't mean we don't miss him. Absence makes the heart grow fonder... Now, he's gone. We like Cody, and the kids like Cody, and the parents like Cody because the kids like Cody," said Bully Ray.

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Only time will tell when WWE pulls the trigger on The American Nightmare's return. With Money in the Bank 2025 also around the corner, it'll be interesting to see if the company brings its biggest babyface back before or at the premium live event.

About the author

Arpit Shrivastava is a journalist who reports on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda. He is also an assistant content manager for the AEW team and has played a pivotal role in building it from the ground up. Arpit graduated in Political Science and Mass Communication. From writing for his college magazine while being a huge wrestling fan to pursuing journalism as a career, he has accumulated five years of experience in the industry.

During the course of his career, Arpit has written nearly 4k articles, garnering over 32 million reads. Besides covering the latest stories in the world of pro wrestling, Arpit mentors several up-and-coming writers and is also responsible for assembling a stellar team for Sportskeeda's All Elite Wrestling division. Arpit gives utmost importance to fact-based reporting as he sources information only from reliable outlets. He believes in providing relevant information to readers, allowing them to form their opinions based on legitimate facts.

Among Arpit's favorite wrestlers is MJF. He admires The Wolf of Wrestling for his cool, anti-authoritative attitude on television. Arpit is also fond of Sami Zayn's never-say-die approach and underdog persona. In the women's division, he looks up to Becky Lynch for her sheer aura.

Outside of pro wrestling, Arpit is a massive history and cinema buff. He spends his leisure time reading and following tennis and cricket.

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Edited by Arpit Shrivastava