Cody Rhodes will compete in this year's Men's Royal Rumble match, but the timing of his announcement has raised some eyebrows.
Rhodes has not competed since WWE Hell in a Cell last June, as he tore his pectoral muscle mere hours before the show began.
The American Nightmare fought through the pain to defeat Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell later that night.
Announcement
During this week's Raw, WWE played their latest vignette documenting Rhodes' return to WWE and his recovery process.
It was also confirmed that Rhodes will be one of the 30 men to compete in the upcoming Men's Royal Rumble match.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that Cody was not 100% medically cleared by WWE when his entry into the Rumble match was announced.
WWE was confident that Rhodes would be cleared, with the Observer saying that the process of his medical clearing being confirmed was just a "formality."
This year will mark Rhodes' ninth Rumble match and his first since 2016 when he competed as Stardust.
Favorite?
With his impressive recovery and his WWE booking since WrestleMania 38, many consider Rhodes a favorite to win the Men's Rumble match.
The odds of Rhodes winning have increased given reports that The Rock is not expected to compete at this year's WrestleMania and ergo, the Royal Rumble.
Sami Zayn is being considered a dark horse favorite by some to set up his inevitable split from the Bloodline.