Cody Rhodes returned to WWE for the first time since 2016 on the first night of WrestleMania 38. Rhodes was revealed as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent, defeating Rollins in the return match.

A choir sung the vocal part of Seth Rollin’s entrance music as The Visionary made his way down the entrance ramp and to the ring. When Rollins’ music died down, the former WWE Champion stared at the entrance stage and was heard asking ‘Who’s going to be?’ Fireworks would go off inside the AT&T Stadium and the light went down. The lights would come back up to reveal that Cody Rhodes was the mystery opponent, who ascended from underneath the entrance ramp to the top of the stage. It should be noted that the entrance music and presentation of Rhodes was the same as what was seen in All Elite Wrestling.

The match featured multiple near falls, with Rollins kicking out of the first Cross-Rhodes and Rhodes kicking out of everything that Seth Rollins could throw at him. The match would end when Cody Rhodes would hit 2 Cross-Rhodes, a bionic elbow in tribute to his late father Dusty Rhodes, and one more Cross-Rhodes to be victorious.

As previously mentioned, Cody Rhodes was a part of WWE from 2007 to 2016. Since departing WWE, Cody Rhodes would become a big name on the independent scene and wrestling in various promotions around the world. In 2019, Rhodes would be one of the founding members of All Elite Wrestling and would hold the position of executive vice president. The American Nightmare would have a number of marquee matches for the promotion and would hold the TNT Championship 3 times. Rhodes announced his departure from AEW in February 2022, with many from the company wishing Cody well in the future.

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