18-year veteran returns from serious spinal injury at WWE Live Event; leaves as champion

WWE kicked off the 2024 Holiday Tour with a pair of Live Events happening simultaneously. Madison Square Garden hosted the RAW-branded show, while SmackDown stars took over Jacksonville. The main event of the latter featured a seemingly miraculous return from injury.

Cody Rhodes came back less than two weeks after Kevin Owens hit a Package Piledriver on him following their match at Saturday Night's Main Event. WWE had announced that The American Nightmare was diagnosed with axial compression of the cervical spine, as well as a cervical strain with spasm.

Regardless, Rhodes returned at tonight's Live Event, interrupting a promo from Kevin Owens. The two proceeded to have a Steel Cage Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship, which was won by Cody after he escaped the cage seconds before KO did so.

While he has already returned to the ring, it remains to be seen if Cody Rhodes will appear on this week's episode of SmackDown. Given the injury he suffered, the 18-year veteran may be away from television for a few weeks.

Even in storyline, such a serious spinal injury would result in a lengthy layoff. Randy Orton himself hasn't been seen since Kevin Owens injured him nearly two months ago.