Dustin Rhodes, known for his recent TNT Championship win at All In: Texas, has shared alarming news regarding his health. The 56-year-old wrestler revealed on X/Twitter that both of his knees are severely damaged, requiring complete replacement surgeries scheduled for August 21. This development follows an already serious leg injury that disrupted his wrestling career.
“Knees are both destroyed. I have to go under the knife August 21st. They can’t actually fix the damage so we are getting 2 knee Replacements. Damn! #KeepSteppin By the way…….This Is NOT THE END,” he wrote. —Dustin Rhodes
Impact of injury on Rhodes’ wrestling career and titles
Rhodes’ injury occurred shortly after he lost the TNT Championship to Kyle Fletcher during the July 31 episode of AEW Collision. The injury has been incorporated into a storyline blaming The Protostar. Besides the TNT Championship, Rhodes was also the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champion alongside Sammy Guevara and held the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship with The Von Erichs. It remains uncertain if AEW president Tony Khan will strip him of these titles due to his inability to compete.
AEW support and uncertain future as Rhodes faces lengthy recovery
Approaching the later stages of his career, Dustin Rhodes had planned an intense final run in professional wrestling. However, this severe injury and upcoming double knee replacement surgery have cast doubt on those plans. AEW has expressed its support for Rhodes during his recovery, acknowledging the significant role he plays both in and out of the ring. His extensive experience remains invaluable backstage, making his potential absence a significant loss for the organization.
With a challenging rehabilitation ahead, the wrestling world awaits to see if Rhodes can overcome this major setback and return to action.
