Update On WWE's Robert Roode After Recent Neck Surgery, How Long He Might Be Out

Things are looking considerably less glorious in WWE for the remainder of 2023. According to Fightful Select, Robert Roode is not expected to be back for the rest of the year. He's currently out and recovering following a neck fusion surgery he underwent. Roode was last seen on WWE programming alongside his Dirty Dawgs tag team partner Dolph Ziggler in April 2022. Previous reporting in November suggested that Roode's return was imminent, with him being spotted backstage at a taping of "WWE SmackDown," but that was obviously not the case in hindsight.

Before his disappearance from TV, Roode had been appearing on "WWE NXT" during Ziggler's feud with former "NXT" Champion Bron Breakker. The feud saw Breakker lose the title to and eventually reclaim it from Ziggler. Notably, Roode has yet to make any kind of appearance on the Triple H led WWE programming that's been in place since late July. Roode held the "NXT" Championship while Triple H was still running "NXT" creative, so it stands to reason that his overall direction on the main roster could change with "The Game" at the helm.

In Roode's absence, Ziggler has remained active on the "WWE Raw," roster. He's challenged for Austin Theory's United States Championship, and had a mini feud with Mustafa Ali. He's spoken recently on his future in wrestling, and how he's thankful to still be in good wrestling shape at 42 years old. Whether Ziggler and Roode will return to the tag team ranks upon Roode's eventual comeback remains to be seen.