Add as a preferred source on Google Dustin Rhodes is moving closer to an AEW in-ring return after undergoing double knee replacement surgery.
The 56-year-old veteran has been out of action since the second half of 2025, when he had to undergo the procedure. The injury brought an important stretch of his current AEW and ROH run to a halt, as he had been coming off several notable title wins before being forced to stop his momentum.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Rhodes said his knees are doing well and that his return to AEW programming should happen soon.
Rhodes also noted that his knees are still new because of the surgery, and that he felt some fatigue after doing a lot of walking at an event in the United Kingdom, where his dog Beast competed.
Beyond the update on his return, Rhodes also spoke about his future in pro wrestling. The former Goldust made it clear that he intends to end his career in AEW, where he has been since 2019.
Dustin Rhodes gives update on AEW return, timeline for retirement https://t.co/JS47yeJQJG
— Wrestling Observer (@WONF4W) June 10, 2026
According to Rhodes, his in-ring retirement should happen within the next few years. However, that does not mean he plans to leave the company altogether, as he intends to continue working backstage as a producer.
Rhodes also praised AEW again, highlighting that the company represents an alternative to WWE by putting a strong focus on in-ring wrestling.
Rhodes won the AEW TNT Championship at All In: Texas in July 2025 after Adam Cole vacated the title due to injury. His reign, however, lasted only 19 days, ending in a Chicago Street Fight against Kyle Fletcher on AEW Collision.
The expectation now is that Rhodes will return for one final active stretch of his AEW career before fully moving into a role outside the ring.