Latest On Cody Rhodes After WrestleMania 42 Injury (WWE News)
Cody Rhodes damaged his orbital socket during his WrestleMania 42 Night 1 main event against Randy Orton, where Rhodes retained the WWE Championship.
whatculture.comHere’s the latest on Cody Rhodes and his eye injury:
Cody Rhodes suffered a severe eye injury during WrestleMania 42 Night One against Randy Orton, with reports noting swelling and bruising around the left eye and initial backstage treatment. This update circulated shortly after the event, and there was early speculation about a possible orbital socket injury but no confirmed orbital fracture at that time.[2][4][6]
As of mid-April 2026, multiple outlets indicated Rhodes had not undergone a full medical clearance yet, and while there was cautious optimism he might not have sustained an orbital bone fracture, his ability to compete at upcoming events (e.g., Backlash) remained uncertain pending further medical evaluation.[3][4][6][2]
By late April 2026, Rhodes began sharing updates with fans about his recovery and appeared to be rebuilding his look after the injury, with several outlets noting continued updates on his bruised eye and return timeline as WWE continued medical assessments.[7][8]
Public reporting generally agrees that there was no definitive confirmation of a long-term sidelining due to an orbital fracture, but initial injury severity prompted positioning Rhodes under medical observation and concussion protocol as a precaution, with a focus on whether he would be cleared to defend the title soon.[4][2][3]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent direct statements from WWE or major outlets and summarize any new clearance dates or match plans. Also, tell me if you want a brief timeline or a quick pros/cons view of potential return dates.
Citations:
Cody Rhodes damaged his orbital socket during his WrestleMania 42 Night 1 main event against Randy Orton, where Rhodes retained the WWE Championship.
whatculture.comAs previously reported, Undisputed WWE Champion "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes suffered a significant eye injury during his title match against "The Viper" Randy Orton at WWE WrestleMania 42 Night One on Saturday, which Rhodes ultimately won. After the match, his eye was swollen shut, and it was speculated that the injury occurred either from a punch thrown by Orton during a slugfest or from the spot involving the Cody Cutter into the RKO. WWE announced that Rhodes required three sutures...
rajah.comCody Rhodes suffered an eye injury last night, one of the battle wounds from his war against Randy Orton in the main event of the show.
www.wrestling-online.comAn update has emerged regarding Cody Rhodes following the eye injury he suffered at WrestleMania 42 Night One.
www.pwmania.comRandy Orton failed to become a 15-time WWE World champion after the main event of WrestleMania 42's first night, but he took pieces of Cody Rhodes with him in defeat.
www.yardbarker.comCody Rhodes may have walked out of WrestleMania 42 still holding gold, but he didn’t leave unscathed. Following his showdown with Randy Orton, Rhodes was
wrestlingheadlines.comThere appears to be some early positive news regarding Cody Rhodes coming out of his grueling showdown with Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42. Following the
wrestlingheadlines.comWWE Champion Cody Rhodes provided an update on his nasty bruised eye.
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