Cody Rhodes is a two-time Undisputed Champion and one of the faces of WWE.
Prior to his ascent to the top of WWERhodes was a fledgling mid-card talent who left the company on his own free will in order to level up and become a bigger star in the pro wrestling industry. Rhodes took over the independent wrestling circuit, Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and created AEW in his time away from WWE.
When he returned to WWE in 2022, all eyes were on him and whether or not he could excel on the massive WWE stage. Upon returning, Rhodes declared that he must “finish his story” in WWE and that meant winning the WWE Championship, a title that his father, Dusty Rhodes, never won.
From that moment on, fans and the wrestling industry alike were following the Rhodes story, and WrestleMania 40 was built around Rhodes winning the title. Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns in the main event and became champion for the first time in history.
A lot changed for Rhodes on that WrestleMania 40 night in Philadelphia. In one moment, he became the face of the biggest wrestling company in the world. In achieving that success, Rhodes said perceptions of him changed inside the industry.
“Corporate Cody” changed industry perspective on Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes | WWE
In an interview on the Bertcast, Rhodes opened up on what it was like to win the WWE Championship and how people in the industry treated him differently and looked at his work in a different way after he did.
“On the way to the WWE Championship, I felt like everyone in the industry, from every company, from independent I’d ever done. Every corner of the Earth talked to me every second of every day. Watched every segment I was part of. Rooted for it. It was very real, this climb to the top. Then it happened and then it happened again.”
Cody Rhodes.
Rhodes continued:
“Here you are a two-time WWE Champion. And you’ve been presented by WWE leadership as one of the faces of the company. The more the “Corporate Cody” became a thing, I don’t hear from any of them. And I so badly wish I did because internally, every segment, I don’t want to just have my head above water. I want to excel … Like, am I growing or have I plateaued?”
Cody Rhodes
Rhodes is the current Undisputed WWE Champion and is helping captain a team against Brock Lesnar, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, and Drew Mcintyre inside WarGames at Survivor Series.
Rhodes aligned with CM Punk, The Usos, and his WrestleMania 40 opponent, Roman Reigns, to take on the team headed up by Paul Heyman. Survivor Series airs live on ESPN on November 28.
Other announced matches for the event include the women’s WarGames match, John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, Stephanie Vaquer vs. Nikki Bella for the WWE Women’s World Championship, and more.
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