The former NXT Champion is now cleared to wrestle, although he’s happy with his current role.
Robert Roode has been away from the ring since his last house show appearance in June 2022, having to have neck fusion surgery on his C5 and C6 vertebrae that November. Then, he had a further fusion surgery on his C4 and C5 vertebrae in May of 2023.
There has been little update on his condition, but, while speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Roode has revealed that he has now been given the all clear to step back between the ropes. However, he noted that he’s happy to continue being a producer for WWE, a role he has been working in since last summer.
“Ironically enough, I just got green-lighted. The fusion has completely fused. So as far as like, looking at it from a medical point of view, it’s safe to get back in the ring, I guess. But at almost 48 years old, given the opportunity that I’ve been given now to work as a producer, which was my goal coming to WWE almost eight years ago, I’m quite happy doing this. And I feel like I’ve had a good run, as they say, and I’m happy to do what I’m doing now.”
-Robert Roode
Of course, now fans know that he’s cleared, questions will always be asked as to whether we’ll see Roode in the ring again. On this, he said that everyone wants one last match, but there’s no way he could wrestle full-time again in the future.
“I think everybody would like to have one last match, right? But sometimes you just, when the wheels fall off, the wheels fall off. It’s just — that’s the nature of the beast in this sport, in this industry.”
-Robert Roode
To close, Roode said that working as a producer in WWE had always been a goal of his, making it clear when he first joined the company that he’d be open to coaching and producing when the wheels fell off.
“Like I said, that was kind of like the game plan. When I came to WWE, I had my conversation with Triple H before coming to NXT. And at that time, I was almost 40. So I remember him, I was on a three-way call with him and Matt Bloom and I remember him asking me, ‘So what do you want to do? Do you want to come here and coach? Do you want to be a coach?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, maybe one day, that’s my goal, but I feel like I got a lot left in the tank.’ He gave me that opportunity, which I’m super grateful for and here I am today. I had a pretty good run in NXT and then had a pretty good run on the main roster. And — it is what it is. Like I said, when the wheels fall off, the wheels fall off.”
-Robert Roode
It does seem as if, barring any one-off appearances, Robert Roode’s in-ring days are behind him. The Glorious One has held the NXT, United States and Tag Team Titles in WWE, so, if this is it, he’s certainly had his fair share of success in the company. We wish him all the best in his work as a WWE producer.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Robert Roode’s in-ring status as soon as we hear more.
