Cody Rhodes to make long-awaited return to the WWE in 2023 Royal Rumble

Cody Rhodes has been out of action for eight months. Now he's coming back.

By Mayer Nissim

17 Jan 2023

richfreedaWWE

Cody Rhodes has announced that he will return to the WWE at Royal Rumble 2023 later this month.

Rhodes confirmed on Monday Night Raw yesterday (January 16) that he would enter the Royal Rumble match, with a title bout at WrestleMania 39 up for grabs.

Cody has been out of action for over seven months since his Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins in June last year.

He had suffered a torn pectoral muscle prior to that event, but wrestled through the pain to earn a victory against the former Shield man before having to take time off for surgery.

A video shown on Raw followed Cody's long road to recovery and doubts about his successful return.

"Now the question is no longer if, but when," Cody said.

"Since I came back at WrestleMania, I have made it crystal clear what I want. At the Royal Rumble, I'm back."

The son of wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes and half-brother of Goldust, Cody Rhodes enjoyed a decade-long career with the WWE until his departure in 2016.

He went on to have a successful stint on the independent circuit before becoming a key member and executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling.

Rhodes departed that company in early 2022 and made a stunning comeback at WrestleMania 38, beating Seth Rollins at that event.

He previously returned to Raw last December via a video link and hinted at his title ambitions.

"I want to pick up right back where I left off," he said at the time.

"Right back in that little kid's shoes because he had the biggest dreams. Because in this time that we're in, I have an opportunity at making that happen.

"And I'm being incredibly vague here, I get it. But I think anybody who is a fan of what we do can read between the lines. There is one thing that I came back for specifically, one thing."

Can Cody Rhodes win the Royal Rumble and earn a title match WrestleMania 39? Let us know at @digitalspywwe.

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