Cody Rhodes Handpicked Two NXT Stars To Help Prepare For In-Ring Return

Cody Rhodes is getting for his WWE in-ring return by training with some of NXT’s best wrestlers to help him prepare for when he is able to compete again.

The return of Cody Rhodes should be one of the most anticipated stories in WWE this year. After all, Cody’s return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 was a massive story since he spent six years away from the company as a founding member of All Elite Wrestling that also spent time working for Impact Wrestling and Ring of Honor as well.

While Cody went on to have what was arguably the best WWE rivalry of 2022 with Seth Rollins thanks to three incredible matches at WrestleMania 38, WrestleMania Backlash and the infamous Hell in a Cell match in June.

It was that Hell in a Cell match in June 2022 that has added to the legacy of Cody Rhodes because he wrestled that match with visible bruising on his right arm/chest due to the torn pectoral muscle that he was dealing with. That match to end the trilogy of Cody’s matches with Rollins was won by Cody despite the injury. It is considered by many people to be one of the best matches of 2022 as well as Cody’s career.

A few days after that Hell in a Cell match, Cody had surgery to repair the torn pectoral muscle and has gone through a rigorous rehab process.

In an update on Cody’s return to the ring, Fightful Select reported that Cody has been preparing for his return at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. Cody Rhodes, who has a very big bus, was spotted at the WWE Performance Center in late December along with some members of his family and his team.

Cody was also able to select what NXT wrestlers he would work with to help him get back into shape to return to the ring. The two names mentioned by Fightful are the former two-time NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes and Joe Gacy, who leads The Schism group. Hayes clearly stands out in NXT as one of the best wrestlers on the brand while Gacy is a unique character as well. Cody also has his own wrestling gym where he trains wrestlers called The Nightmare Factory in Georgia, so he has likely been working out in that ring too.

WWE has been building to Cody’s return on the last two weeks of Raw and Smackdown with video packages featuring Cody talking about his comeback. While WWE has yet to confirm that Cody will return at the Royal Rumble, he is definitely considered one of the biggest favorites to win the Royal Rumble as he continues his quest to become the WWE Champion.

The Fightful story also noted that Cody is factored into WWE’s WrestleMania plans, which isn’t a surprise.