With WWE Backlash set to take place this Saturday, May 10th, in St. Louis, new reports suggest that Cody Rhodes may be poised for a surprise return—his first since losing the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41.
According to PWInsider.com, there have been internal discussions within WWE about having “The American Nightmare” make a shock appearance at Backlash, though nothing has been confirmed. The outlet emphasized that while such a return “makes the most sense” from a storyline perspective, they “haven’t heard 100% that’s the direction.”
Rhodes has not appeared on WWE programming since his controversial title loss to John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 41 Night 2. The finish saw musician Travis Scott interfere by pulling the referee from the ring during a critical moment. While Rhodes managed to hit Scott with a Cross Rhodes, the distraction opened the door for Cena to secure the win and claim his record-breaking 17th world title.
With Backlash serving as WWE’s first Premium Live Event since WrestleMania 41, speculation has grown that Rhodes might return to address the controversial ending, confront Cena, or launch his next major storyline heading into the summer.
A surprise appearance at Backlash would also mark Rhodes’ first on-screen appearance since losing the championship, making it a pivotal moment for WWE’s top babyface and a potential reset point in the evolving title picture.
However, PWInsider also noted that other WWE-related advertising and promotional materials have hinted at a possible return for Rhodes on the May 16th episode of SmackDown, meaning WWE could be holding off his reemergence for a more controlled reveal.
As of now, the possibility of Cody Rhodes returning at Backlash remains speculative—but fans attending or tuning in Saturday should be on high alert for a potential major development.
Stay with PWMania.com for breaking updates on Cody Rhodes, WWE Backlash coverage, and all the latest news from the WWE Universe.
