Cody Rhodes Suffers Ankle Sprain in WrestleMania 41 Build-Up

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes experienced a concerning injury scare just days before his highly anticipated WrestleMania 41 title defense against John Cena. The champion twisted his ankle following an unplanned fall from the announce table during post-show interactions with fans.

The incident occurred after the April 4 SmackDown broadcast went off the air. Rhodes had just defeated Solo Sikoa in a dark match when he climbed onto the commentary desk to acknowledge fans. He lost his balance and fell awkwardly, visibly twisting his ankle upon impact. Rhodes quickly addressed the concerned crowd by stating, “I’m fine,” attempting to minimize worries about his condition.

This potential injury comes at a critical juncture for Rhodes, who is scheduled to put his championship on the line against John Cena on the second night of WrestleMania 41 on April 20. The two competitors have engaged in heated verbal exchanges in recent weeks, culminating with Rhodes executing his finishing move on Cena during the March 31 edition of Raw.

The WrestleMania storyline has additional layers with Cena’s recent heel turn and alliance with The Rock, who has expressed interest in having Rhodes serve as his “corporate champion.” This dynamic has added significant stakes to the championship match.

WWE has confirmed Rhodes will appear on tonight’s SmackDown broadcast as scheduled. Cena is also advertised for the final SmackDown before WrestleMania, while The Rock has not been seen on WWE programming since the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event.

Poor Cody got tripped while taking selfie with the fans through the announcers table but still he was managing to interact with the fans 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/lWwFur2Gzw
— DREAM (@TeamCody__) April 6, 2025