Cody Rhodes

The months of rumors were true. Seth Rollins' mystery opponent at Wrestemania 38 was revealed as Cody Rhodes, who came out to a roaring ovation in front of ...

This is the culmination of months of speculation that the second-generation superstar would be making his return to the WWE, where he worked from 2007-2016. Murmurs of friction between him and AEW President Tony Khan started to surface late last year and in February, Rhodes let his contract expire and departed from the company. Word immediately started to spread that he’d be WWE bound and would be working a Wrestlemania match with Seth Rollins. And now, we’re here.

Rhodes was a three-time TNT champion for AEW. The son of late pro wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, Rhodes started his in-ring career with WWE in 2006. He was with ...

“I chose to remain silent about my departure from AEW and I’m going to keep my word on that. The son of late pro wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, Rhodes started his in-ring career with WWE in 2006. He was with the company for 10 years until requesting his release in 2016. I get an opportunity at my dream, I get another chance at it. AEW, which is owned by Tony Khan, is WWE’s most significant competition since WCW went out of business in 2001. It led to the announcement that Rollins would be facing an opponent of WWE chairman Vince McMahon’s choosing.

Cody Rhodes returned to WWE as the mystery opponent for Seth Rollins. Rhodes came out to Downstait's “Kingdom” to a massive response.

His contract expired at end of 2021 and last wrestled for the promotion in February when he lost the TNT title to Sammy Guevara. I have nothing but respect for Matt [Jackson], Nick [Jackson] and Kenny [Omega]. I’m rooting for Tony Khan. His name is going to be in the history books as someone who helped to bankroll and support this entire alternative and revolution that AEW became but for me, it was just time to to move on. I chose to remain silent about my departure from AEW and I’m going to keep my word on that.

In that time, Rhodes has wrestled all over the world and was integral to the founding of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the rival wrestling promotion run by Tony ...

But the No. 1 thing I am able to carry with me is that connection to the audience. It kind of feels like being in the military and having conquered something or having won this battle and being able to stand and keep your chin parallel with the floor and to be able to come in that fashion, a bit of a conquering hero. Then we were able to do what we were able to do with AEW and that’s something that I’m very proud of, but to be able to revisit the thing that I set out to do in the first place when I didn’t think I would get that chance is just heavy. To quote some of these individuals who courted me for this moment, “It’s not broke.” And this was a place that didn’t care for me. I think the elusive thing for any wrestler to find is the connection with the audience. I have nothing but respect for Matt [Jackson], Nick [Jackson] and Kenny [Omega]. I’m rooting for Tony Khan. His name is going to be in the history books as someone who helped to bankroll and support this entire alternative and revolution that AEW became but for me, it was just time to to move on. When I first got into wrestling, I was solely in the WWE system, and I had that dream of getting to the top. I chose to remain silent about my departure from AEW and I’m going to keep my word on that. I don’t want to put any hyperbole there, but it’s the biggest crowd in wrestling. “He went to Madison Square Garden, stood across from Superstar Billy Graham and he held it in his hands, the goal of mine, and it was taken away because that was the context of the match,” Rhodes said. It just seems like kind of a culmination of my whole career, but I don’t want to jinx it. He also revealed that there is a Dusty Rhodes documentary in the works as part of WWE’s partnership with A&E under the “Biography: WWE Legends” banner.

Cody Rhodes officially returned to the WWE during Night One of WrestleMania 38 on Saturday night, appearing as Vince McMahon's handpicked opponent for Seth ...

Meanwhile, Rollins had repeatedly come up short in earning a spot at WrestleMania, failing to beat both Kevin Owens and AJ Styles on episodes of Raw. Vince McMahon then finally offered him a match but said Rollins wouldn't learn who it was until he was in the ring. I'm so proud of my creations and contributions and the items I supported or collaborated on with such wonderful professionals. AEW then confirmed on Feb. 15 that both Cody and Brandi Rhodes were officially leaving AEW. Rhodes said farewell to both the fans and the locker room, writing in a statement, "I have so many milestones and beautiful memories of this renaissance...through sweat, blood, tears, literal fire, and all that...I left it all on the mat. Everything pales in comparison to the final contribution I was empowered to lead at the company, the community outreach team. In the most inward moments, your outward behavior and your ability to take fame/influence and do something of value for the communities you visit (whether the cameras are on or off) is the highest honor. I'm working here on a handshake deal.

Former AEW star Cody Rhodes returned to WWE as Seth Rollins' mystery opponent. Following an impressive pyro display, Rhodes used his AEW theme music, ...

“Two very high profile people were adamant to the boss that if (when) Cody Rhodes arrives, he should be exactly what he was in AEW. Presentation, ring gear, theme music, pyro, etc. MJF has made shrewdly exploited his character to perform real-life contract negotiations both on AEW television and in interviews. One who was able to transcend typical AEW fan responses, which are usually on-brand with how AEW wants them to react. Rhodes’ reactions, however, only made him come off as a bigger star. These polarizing reactions have since been inherited by Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti. Amazing people.

Cody Rhodes stated numerous times in recent years that he plans to wrestle only until he's 40. 'The American Nightmare' will be 37 this coming June and his ...

And the kicker was I was a bad guy, so it's a lot of falling down. It's a lot on your body and I just didn't want to have the saddle walk, I didn't want to not be able to pick up my kid," Rhodes told ComicBook. But I think maybe 40. Because I was the king of absolutes for the last six years and a lot of them are coming back to bite me in the a—. Which is fine, we change our minds. But here's what some people forget about me — I was in the WWE system at 19, 20, and I was on the road full-time, never one weekend off, except when I tore my trap and that was three weeks. "The American Nightmare" will be 37 this coming June and his new contract with WWE has been confirmed to be a multi-year deal.

Rhodes ended his six-year absence from WWE on Saturday at WrestleMania 38, defeating Seth Rollins in what became the worst-kept secret in wrestling. The ...

The reality of the situation: Rhodes wants to be WWE champion, the lone feat his father never accomplished in a wrestling ring. But in that moment, it was just closure on the first loop and excitement for what’s next. “One of the most special parts of it was Bruce [Prichard] and the chairman himself, Vince, flew down to meet me," Rhodes said (around the five-minute mark). “If that meeting had not led to anything, had it just been a conversation about wrestling or sports entertainment ... it would been great closure on the last loop, because I left here on the worst of terms. Rhodes ended his six-year absence from WWE on Saturday at WrestleMania 38, defeating Seth Rollins in what became the worst-kept secret in wrestling. "I remember saying, ‘I have to be me. As Rhodes told The Ringer Wrestling Show, however, his desire to finish what he started won him over in his return to WWE. Rhodes said Vince McMahon also gave him the vindication he was seeking in negotiations.

Cody Rhodes made his WWE return Xday at/on EVENT X after announcing his departure from AEW on Feb. 15. Amid much spec Along with Kenny Omega, The...

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. That resulted in him establishing himself as a major star outside of the company. He was also behind the organization of the All In pay-per-view in 2018, which was essentially the fore-runner to AEW. Given his standing in the company, all signs pointed toward Rhodes being in AEW for many years to come, but the first sign of something being amiss came in January when Fightful reported he was no longer under contract and was working on a handshake deal, which he confirmed in an interview with the AEW YouTube channel. After being under contract with WWE from 2006 to 2016, Rhodes requested his release from the company because of a disagreement over how he was being utilized. WWE chairman Vince McMahon agreed to put him on the WrestleMania card, but he said the former universal champion wouldn't know his opponent until he was in the ring.

As most internet -savvy fans expected, Cody Rhodes was indeed the mystery opponent for Seth Rollins on Saturday night at WWE WrestleMania 38...

But Rhodes' journey from here is something even fans with a rudimentary understanding of his history should want to see unfold. There was Rhodes looking every bit the part of a big-leaguer, even shrugging off a Pedigree. He was the guy who left for the indies, Rollins was the former indie guy who became the face of the company. Where things go from here is hard to project, especially with the men's main event scene getting unified titles of some sort in the near future. If he wants to be a babyface, he'll lean into that and the usual trappings of that style of character. If he wants to be a heel, it'd be all too easy to lean into the character who has returned to save a company, etc. But there's a snowball-down-mountain bit of momentum for WWE to lean on right now, even if fans have every right to raise an eyebrow and express some skepticism that this will continue.

Former All Elite Wrestling (AEW) executive vice president Cody Rhodes officially returns to WWE following a six-year absence from the company.

On March 18, PWInsider reported that Cody Rhodes had signed a new WWE contract. At the time, it was reported that Cody and Brandi might be headed for a WWE return. Cody Rhodes (real name Cody Runnels) comes from a family of legendary professional wrestlers.

Seth Rollins' mystery opponent at WrestleMania 38 was revealed to be none other than "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes.

Sure enough, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes rose to the stage as Rollins’ challenger! What a moment for Rhodes and wrestling fans viewing the show. Rollins made his way to the ring inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and awaited his opponent.

The return of the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes means so many things for the wrestling industry's two biggest promotions WWE and AEW.

Cody beating Seth at WrestleMania catapults him to the top of the WWE World Title picture. AEW midcarders and anyone dissatisfied with how they’re currently being treated in the promotion knows that there’s an opportunity in WWE. Much worse, it gives a signal to former WWE superstars now in AEW that if they’re a big enough star, they can come back to WWE, and Vince will welcome them with open arms. This usually works well for these wrestlers, as in AEW they find new opportunities, get title shots when they couldn’t in WWE, and get more screen time on TV. All of a sudden, midcarders and anyone dissatisfied in the WWE locker room had a second option. This led to Cody knocking on Vince McMahon’s door, and the WWE Chairman took the opportunity to snag one of the most integral pieces of AEW’s founding back into the fold. As AEW progressed, the roles of the former Bullet Club members backstage lessened, and the executive title of Cody eventually became executive only in title. Cody would then spend the next two years in the independent circuit, traveling to the UK, Japan, and around the United States. In the Japanese promotion NJPW and the American promotion ROH, Cody would play a pivotal role in the villainous stable Bullet Club. It was in this stable that he met Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson, and Kenny Omega, with whom he later would organize the independent event All In in 2018.