Pro wrestling might be scripted, but the physical risks are very real. Look no further than John Cena’s heel turn, which reportedly left Cody Rhodes with multiple injuries thanks to rapper Travis Scott.
Yes, you read that correctly.
For the uninitiated, Cena turned heel — a.k.a. became a bad guy — by joining forces with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to beat down Rhodes at the WWE Elimination Chamber event on Saturday. Travis Scott was also there, and while the “Highest in the Room” rapper was largely an onlooker, he did get at least one shot in on the reigning WWE champion.
If Scott’s open palm slap to Rhodes’ head looked real, that’s because it reportedly was. So much so that according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer, the strike left “the American Nightmare” with multiple injuries.
“Cody got hurt,” Meltzer said on Tuesday’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio. “I’m pretty sure it was Travis Scott that did it.”
“Hitting him as hard as humanly possible while seemingly under the influence,” co-host Bryan Alvarez added. “Whoever okayed that spot, dude — let me tell you.”
“I heard he had a busted ear drum and a black eye,” Meltzer continued.
To be clear, there hasn’t been any confirmation that Scott was under the influence as Alvarez alleged. But while Meltzer wasn’t 100 percent certain it was Scott’s slap that led to Rhodes’ injuries, the video footage that has emerged from the show sure seemed to display the type of strike that could cause legitimate harm.
Nevertheless, Rhodes is expected to return to WWE airwaves on Friday for the next installment of SmackDown.
While WWE might be “fake fighting” to some, the reality is that pro wrestlers are highly skilled professionals trained to perform moves in a fashion that mitigates the damage to their opponents. Even then, accidents still happen and it’s hardly a surprise that one would occur when involving a celebrity like Scott, who is less experienced in the artform.
Ultimately, Scott’s cameo will serve as an interesting footnote to what is already considered one of pro wrestling’s most historic moments. And while it may be painful for Rhodes currently, the fact that he suffered a legitimate injury as a result of the angle only adds to the legend.