WWE's Cody Rhodes Talks 'Embarrassing Dejected & Awful Feeling' About Torn Pec Injury

Two years ago, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes battled Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell in their third match against each other, to cap off a rivalry that started at WrestleMania 38 when "The American Nightmare" returned to WWE. However, Rhodes entered that match with a torn pectoral muscle and wrestled for nearly 25 minutes inside the steel structure, picking up his third straight win against Rollins. 

Speaking with "The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast," Rhodes explained that he's proud of the Hell in a Cell match and is glad fans enjoyed their performance, but still feels embarrassed when he looks back on that night. 

"I can tell it means something to the fans who watched it there in the arena and the fan who watched it at home. But, for me, because it was just an embarrassing, dejected, awful feeling going through that day and then of knowing in the few days leading up that it clearly was torn and it was getting worse. I love that people love it but also it's a weird feeling when I see it and I'm glad it catches on with people. They did an incredible job with it but it's just a strange, strange thing that's documented in your life." 

He also mentioned feeling ill during the beginning of the match with Rollins, explaining that he felt like vomiting until he found his second wind. Rhodes' pectoral injury kept him on the shelf for the remainder of 2022, eventually returning at the Royal Rumble eight months later where he punched his ticket to WrestleMania 39 after winning the match entering at number 30.  

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.