Will Cody Rhodes Have to Vacate WWE Title After WrestleMania Injury?

A new report has an update on Cody Rhodes' injury status coming out of WWE WrestleMania 42.
Rhodes successfully defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton in the WrestleMania Saturday main event, but there was something else that had people talking after the match.
WWE released video footage of trainers attending to Rhodes backstage, with the current champion's eye completely swollen shut. Jackie Redmond revealed on the WrestleMania Sunday pre-show that Rhodes was not medically cleared to compete after an orbital injury and that he also needed sutures to his face and staples to the back of his head.
What does that mean for Rhodes' status as Undisputed WWE Champion?
Will Cody Rhodes Relinquish The Title Due To Injury?

With WWE fans curious as to what the company may decide, there's an update on where things stand with Rhodes' injury.
According to Bodyslam.net, he is not expected to have to vacate the title "as of right now," and that WWE will be monitoring Rhodes' injury ahead of SmackDown on Friday. The show is set to take place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
WWE has yet to advertise anything for the blue brand in the follow-up to WrestleMania, but there's no question that a lot remains to be determined as things unfold with Rhodes and Orton.
The Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes Rivalry Is Just Getting Started

The insertion of Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll into the Orton-Rhodes story was a surprise to many fans, but it appears WWE is moving in a different direction.
Jelly Roll splashed McAfee through the announce table prior to the start of the main event, and Orton's punt on Rhodes after the match suggests a rematch in the future.
As for the timeline, it undoubtedly depends on Rhodes' availability and whether he could eventually have no choice but to vacate the championship.
WWE's next PLE is Backlash, which is set for May 9 in Tampa. It had been reported the original working plan was for Orton and McAfee to team up against Rhodes and Jelly Roll, but that seems unlikely after WrestleMania.
After that, Saturday Night's Main Event returns on May 23 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. WWE will then head overseas for the Clash In Italy PLE on May 31.
Those are potential spots for another Orton vs. Rhodes match, as is the two-night SummerSlam extravaganza on August 1 and August 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Blake Lovell has worked in the sports media industry for nearly two decades, including covering WWE and professional wrestling for various digital outlets since 2019. He is a former editor/columnist for 411Mania and ClutchPoints. As a wrestling journalist, he has interviewed legends such as The Hardy Boyz, written numerous columns, and more. You can follow him on X at @wrestleblake for more discussion on wrestling's past, present, and future.
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