Vince Russo reacts to the real reason why WWE allowed Cody Rhodes to wrestle at Hell in a Cell (Exclusive)
Cody Rhodes put on one of the most resilient performances in WWE history at Hell in a Cell. The American Nightmare overcame a painful pectoral injury to defeat Seth Rollins in the show's best match.
During the latest episode of Legion of RAW, Vince Russo and Dr. Chris Featherstone discussed the real reason behind Cody Rhodes being permitted to compete at HIAC.
Russo cited a video he recently watched of a doctor explaining why Rhodes worked a match with a torn pec. The former AEW star's pectoral muscle was completely ripped off the bone, which meant he could not sustain more damage.
While Cody Rhodes also reportedly insisted that he wrestle at Hell in a Cell, the nature of his injury convinced WWE doctors that he could complete a full-fledged match.
"So I saw a great video by a doctor that really educated me. He was talking about Cody because my whole thing was, bro, why are you going to get in there and wrestle if it can make your condition worse," said Vince Russo. "Why are you going to do it? So, I listen to the doctor, and the doctor explains, bro, when that pectoral muscle is ripped off the bone, you can't do any more damage. Like, the damage is done." (4:15 - 4:50)
Vince Russo says Cody Rhodes just had to tolerate the pain at Hell in a Cell
Cody Rhodes has earned fans' respect as he not only wrestled at Hell in a Cell but also beat Seth Rollins in their third match at a premium live event. As noted by Vince Russo, Rhodes visibly fought through excruciating pain during the 24-minute bout.
The former WWE writer was happy that the superstar didn't worsen his injury at Hell in a Cell and understood why the company went ahead with its original plans.
"What he explained was, the only thing is the level of pain. You know the level of pain is going to go above and beyond what anybody can take. So like, I was really, I hate to say I was glad to hear that, but it made it more understandable to me. Why Cody would do the match? Why would WWE allow it once it's torn off the bone, bro? It's torn off the bone. So, it was really Cody having to tolerate the pain," added Russo. (4:51 - 5:27)
Vince Russo, however, also briefly spoke about the long-standing issue of wrestlers getting addicted to painkillers. Several wrestlers developed a dependency on pills after they suffered significant injuries, and Russo hoped that the current crop of talent would avoid a similar problem.
"But then Chris, You and I can get into a whole conversation about how many wrestlers have been addicted to painkillers," recalled the former WWE writer. "I don't want to go down that road either; you know what I'm saying?" (5:28 - 5:40)
Cody Rhodes is expected to undergo surgery soon, potentially keeping him out of action for several months. Amidst uncertainty over his future, Rhodes' RAW promo has confused many fans regarding what's next for the superstar. You can read more on that here.
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