Choosing to bet on himself, Cody Rhodes lived up to his undesirable to undeniable moniker by making a name for himself outside of WWE and going on to become one of the biggest names in all of wrestling.
- Date of birth: 30 June 1985
- Date of WWE debut: 2 July 2007 on Raw
- Finishing move: Cross Rhodes
- Signature moves: Cody Cutter, Disaster Kick
The son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, fans first saw Cody in action on Raw when he lost to Randy Orton. Later feuding with Hardcore Holly, Rhodes would go on to team with Holly and win his first championship in WWE by the end of the year when he and Holly won the Tag Team Championships.
Later, aligning himself with fellow second-generation star Ted DiBiase Jr., the duo would later join forces with Orton to form the faction Legacy in late 2008. The trio would remain together until early 2010, leading to all 3 competing against each other at WrestleMania 26 and Orton emerging as the victor.
Drafted to SmackDown in 2010, Rhodes debuted his new, narcissistic persona and became known as “Dashing” Cody Rhodes. However, after suffering a broken nose in a match against Rey Mysterio, Rhodes wore a protective face mask and declared that he was no longer dashing. Remaining as a heel, Rhodes would often use the mask to gain an advantage in his matches by using it as a weapon.
After winning the Intercontinental Championship, Rhodes later aligned himself with Damien Sandow, known collectively as The Rhodes Scholars. While the duo never captured tag team gold, Rhodes did find more success with his brother Dustin Rhodes as they defeated The Shield to win the titles.
In June 2014, Rhodes introduced the fans to his latest persona of Stardust. With face paint, a body suit and similar mannerisms to Goldust, the Rhodes brothers did win tag team gold together and had a match against each other at Fastlane, but never got to have a high-profile bout. Frustrated with his position, Rhodes asked for his release in 2016, which was granted.
Looking to make a name for himself outside of WWE, Rhodes competed all over the world for just about every major promotion. Joining forces with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, the 4 wrestlers presented All In 2018, which led to the creation of AEW. Competing at the first AEW PPV Double or Nothing, Rhodes faced his brother in an emotional and critically acclaimed bout that saw both put on the match they always wanted to have. Officially establishing AEW the following year, Rhodes feuded with top stars including Chris Jericho, MJF and Malakai Black while also reigning 3 times as the TNT Champion.
In February 2022, Rhodes shocked the world when news broke that he was leaving AEW. With Seth Rollins without an opponent for WrestleMania 38, many fans connected the dots and predicted when The American Nightmare would make his return, which turned out to be the case. After defeating Seth Rollins in 3 consecutive matches, Rhodes was side-lined for months with a torn pec.
Returning at the 2023 Royal Rumble, Rhodes won the match and booked his spot against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. While it looked to be a certainty that Rhodes would win the WWE Championship, interference from Solo Sikoa meant that Rhodes was denied the opportunity to win the one title he always wanted.
After winning the Royal Rumble for the second year in a row, Rhodes once again secured his spot against Reigns at Mania 40, even though The Rock tried to derail plans. Despite all the hurdles being put in place, Cody Rhodes finished the story when he pinned Reigns as part of the chaotic Bloodline Rules match.
Reigning as the champion for over a year, Rhodes lost the championship to John Cena at WrestleMania 41.
Cody Rhodes WWE & AEW Championship Record
AEW
- TNT Championship – 3 reigns
WWE
- WWE Championship – 1 reign
- WWE Crown Jewel Championship – 1 reign
- Intercontinental Championship – 2 reigns
- Tag Team Championships – 8 reigns
- Royal Rumble winner – 2023 and 2024
Featured image: WWE