Dustin Rhodes To Undergo “Very Invasive Major Surgery”

Dustin Rhodes has delivered an emotional message to fans.

At All In Texas, Adam Cole had been scheduled to defend the TNT Championship against Kyle Fletcher, but fate had other plans.

In the hours before the event, Cole was forced to pull out after suffering a concussion days earlier on Collision. Cole confirmed at All In that he was going on hiatus, admitting that he may never wrestle again.

With the gold up for grabs, Dustin Rhodes claimed a stunning win in a four-way match to become TNT Champion. However, all that did was further motivate Fletcher, who felt he was owed a singles match for the title.

That singles match came in the form of a Street Fight on the July 31 edition of Collision.

During the blood-soaked affair, Kyle Fletcher repeatedly stabbed Rhodes in the knee, but only after he’d been slammed onto a pile of thumbtacks. To add insult to injury, Rhodes also threw some of the tacs into Fletcher’s trunks before hitting the Shattered Dreams.

The end finally came when Fletcher landed his Protoplex brain buster onto the tacs. After the match, Fletcher continued the assault, smashing Rhodes’ knee with a steel chair against the ring post.

Bad News For Dustin Rhodes

In a post on social media, Rhodes said he was in a “terrible amount of pain,” while confirming that he’ll be undergoing “major surgery.” He also apologised to fans, admitting that he felt like he’d let them down, but he promised to keep moving forward.

“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“

Rhodes quickly added “not a work,” suggesting that his injuries aren’t part of a storyline.

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.

Dustin Rhodes signed a new six-year contract with AEW in December 2024 to extend his career as a wrestler, ambassador, coach, and consultant.