AEW Star Out Of Action Until 2026

Things aren’t looking good for a popular AEW star.

On the July 31 edition of Collision, Dustin Rhodes lost the TNT Championship in a violent Street Fight to Kyle Fletcher.

The bout was littered with weapons and chaos, but in the end, it was thumbtacks and a screwdriver that were the deciding factor. That screwdriver was even stabbed and stuck into Rhodes’ leg during the final stages.

After the bell, Fletcher continued the assault, destroying what was left of the veteran’s knee with a steel chair and the help of the ringpost.

Following his defeat to Fletcher, Dustin Rhodes revealed that he would be undergoing “very invasive major surgery” after having a series of scans. Although there were immediate claims from some fans that Rhodes was playing up the severity of his issues as part of a storyline, he quickly confirmed that this “isn’t a work.”

“Sorry guys, feel like I failed my fans. Gonna be out for a while as Doc said I need a very invasive major surgery. MRI’s and cat scans this week, due to Kyle Fletcher. In any case, for the time I was the face of TNT was special to me. I will never take what I have for granted. I am in a terrible amount of pain and have a hole in my leg, but that won’t stop me from #KeepSteppin“

Dustin Rhodes Struggling After AEW Collision Loss

A further report from Fightful Select revealed that Rhodes will be undergoing double knee surgery following his loss to Fletcher. The report reiterated that Rhodes will now be out of action for several months and isn’t expected back until 2026 at the earliest.

The veteran remains one-half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions with Sammy Guevara, and one-third of the ROH World Six-Man Tag team Champions alongside Marshall and Ross Von Erich.

There’s no word on whether Rhodes will be forced to vacate those championships.