Signs of a potential roster absence for Cody Rhodes have emerged following his championship loss at WrestleMania 41. The recent episode of Raw featured developments that suggest the former titleholder might step away from WWE programming for an undetermined period.
John Cena captured his record-breaking seventeenth championship after defeating Cody Rhodes in controversial fashion, ending Rhodes’ 378-day title run. The match conclusion saw Travis Scott interfere by pulling the referee from the ring when Rhodes appeared to have victory secured following his Cross Rhodes finishing move.
The championship bout took an unexpected turn when Rhodes hesitated to strike Cena with the title belt, showing reluctance to defeat his childhood hero through underhanded tactics. This hesitation proved costly as Cena immediately delivered a low blow followed by a title shot to Rhodes’ head to secure the victory.
Following the defeat, Rhodes exited the venue visibly distressed alongside his wife and has maintained silence on social media platforms. The subsequent Raw broadcast potentially confirmed this hiatus theory when Randy Orton executed his RKO on the new champion John Cena.
The Orton-Cena confrontation appears to establish the direction for Backlash 2025, with Rhodes noticeably absent from this developing storyline. This programming decision from Triple H’s creative team suggests Rhodes has been deliberately removed from immediate championship contention, potentially signaling a temporary departure from weekly WWE television.
While no official statement has confirmed Rhodes’ status, his complete absence from the post-WrestleMania narrative framework has fueled speculation about the former champion’s immediate future.
