Major update on Cody Rhodes after he missed WWE SmackDown

Cody Rhodes hasn’t been seen on WWE television since he lost his Undisputed WWE title to John Cena at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas. The American Nightmare was devastated following his loss.

Fans were highly anticipating the 39-year-old star’s return in the latest episode of SmackDown as he was advertised to be at tonight’s show. The WWE Universe is visibly upset with Rhodes’ unexplained absence.

However, recently WCW legend Diamond Dallas Page shared a photo on his official Instagram, showing a jacked Cody Rhodes lifting some weights at DDP’s fitness gym. This showcases that although The American Nightmare has been away from television, he hasn’t been idle.

What was Sabu really like? More info HERE.

Moreover, Rhodes' return might be on the horizon as he has been putting in the work in the gym. The 39-year-old could return after Saturday Night’s Main Event 2025, where Cena will face R Truth in a singles bout. Previous reports suggest that Rhodes will likely have a major role heading into SummerSlam.

WWE veteran criticizes Cody Rhodes and other major superstars for missing SmackDown

While speaking on a recent episode of BroDown with host Mac Davis, Dutch Mantell reviewed the latest episode of the blue brand and noted that none of the major stars were on the show.

He expressed that the Stamford-based promotion desperately needs a prominent superstar, and SmackDown now lacks stars like Cody Rhodes, John Cena, or The Rock.

"First of all, they had no stars. You didn't have a Cena, you didn't have a Rock, you didn't have Cody. He (Solo Sikoa) ate the TV up. He just went on and on. I got news for them. That's three hours guys. When are they getting off three hours?" said Mantell.

It will be interesting to see when Rhodes returns on WWE television and how he gets his revenge on John Cena.

About the author

Nayan is a WWE News and Features writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. After completing his bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Poddar International, he began working as a YouTube script writer. Nayan then transitioned to Pinkvilla as a combat sports writer. He gained valuable experience there before finally coming under the banner of Sportskeeda.

Within 1.5 years, Nayan has written over 1,000 articles, interviewed MFN promotion owners, and conducted a Twitter campaign that gained over 50k retweets and more. He puts fact-checking and mindful journalism above everything by applying a three-check method, where he tries to verify reports from reliable sources and cross-check whether other major publications have covered them.

Looking back at his association with pro wrestling, Nayan recalls being hooked on the sport after watching Shawn Michael vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 24. Since then, the product has been an inseparable part of his life.

Apart from The Heartbreak Kid being Nayan's favorite wrestler for his confidence and charisma, he is also a fan of Brock Lesnar due to The Beast's "work speaks louder than words" attitude.

Nayan can be found performing mixed martial arts and reading true crime in his free time.

Know More

Edited by Arsh Das