Dustin Rhodes is staying optimistic about a potential in-ring return by March 2026. The veteran performer, who is 56 years old, underwent double knee replacement surgery in August and continues to make steady progress in his recovery.

In a post on social media, Rhodes shared an update with fans about his condition, saying he is still working through pain but remains determined to get back inside the ropes next year.

“They still hurt a bit, especially in the mornings,” Rhodes said when a fan asked about his knees. “I do have a good ways to go. Remember I am 56 and pushing hard, just takes time. Not young anymore. Prob March I should be ready to kill everyone lol. Maybe, I am pushing hard my man.”

Rhodes, who continues to serve as both a coach and active performer for AEW and ROH, signed a long-term extension with AEW at the end of 2024. His most recent match before the surgery came in a street fight, where he dropped the AEW TNT Championship to Kyle Fletcher.

Due to the injury, Rhodes was forced to relinquish the ROH World Tag Team Championship and the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, which he held as part of The Sons of Texas. Both titles were later decided at ROH Death Before Dishonor on August 29, 2025, with La Facción Ingobernable (Rush and Sammy Guevara) winning the Tag Titles and Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Carlie Bravo, and Capt. Shawn Dean) capturing the Six-Man gold.

They still hurt a bit, especially in the mornings. I do have a good ways to go. Remember I am 56 and pushing hard, just takes time. Not young anymore. Prob March I should be ready to kill everyone lol. Maybe, I am pushing hard my man https://t.co/uAsiqcqtdR

, Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) November 7, 2025