Cody Runnels Rhodes is an American professional wrestler. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, on 30 June 1985. He is the son of legendary Dusty Rhodes. He made his debut in 2007 as Cody Runnels, which later changed to Cody Rhodes. During his early career, he joined a heel faction named The Legacy, which included superstars like Randy Orton and Ted DiBiase Jr. Rhodes quickly became a champion in the company by winning the Intercontinental Championship as the “Dashing” Rhodes.
Rhodes’s career in the WWE went off the rails when he fully transitioned into the Stardust Gimmick. This gimmick was a comedy act, which Rhodes never liked, and as a result of creative frustration, he asked for his release from WWE in 2016. After leaving WWE, Rhodes wrestled on the independent circuit and also won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In 2018, he co-founded AEW and produced All In, which famously sold 10,000 tickets. After being with AEW for more than four years, Rhodes decided not to renew his contract and left the company in early 2022.
After leaving AEW, Rhodes shocked everyone when he appeared as the surprise opponent for Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 38. Since then, Rhodes has been one the the biggest stars in the company and has also won back-to-back Royal Rumble matches. He also won the 2025 King of the Ring Tournament. As of 2025, he is the current WWE Undisputed Champion in his second reign.
List of Cody Rhodesâ€s WWE World Championships
Cody has won the WWE World Championships two-times in his WWE career. His first-ever Championship win came in 2024 at WrestleMania XL when he defeated Roman Reigns, ending his 1,316 championship reign. This match is highly regarded as one of the best matches in the WWE, as this match is called the “Avengers: Endgame†of WWE, as it wrapped up an entire era. This match became the point when WWE transitioned from the Modern Era to the Renaissance Era.
His first Championship reign came to an end when John Cena defeated Cody at WrestleMania 41. Rhodes won the 2025 King of the Ring Tournament to get another shot at the Championship at SummerSlam 2025. He faced John Cena in a one-on-one match at SummerSlam 2025, and during this match, we saw Cena once again turn face. This match was one of the best matches of the entire summer, where Rhodes defeated Cena to win the Undisputed WWE Championship for the second time in his career.
Here is a detailed table summarizing Cody Rhodesâ€s WWE World Championships:
Championship WonDateEventOpponentsUndisputed WWE Universal ChampionshipApr 7, 2024WrestleMania XL (Night 2)Roman ReignsUndisputed WWE ChampionshipAug 3, 2025SummerSlam (Night 2)John Cena
FAQs
Q. Why did Cody Rhodes leave WWE in 2016?
A.Rhodes became frustrated with WWEâ€s booking, and that was the reason why he left the company in 2016.
Q. Is Cody Rhodes married?
A.Rhodes is married to a former professional wrestler, Brandi Rhodes.
Q. Why did Cody Rhodes leave AEW?
A.As per reports, something was going on backstage, which made Rhodes leave AEW.
Q. Why does Cody Rhodes call himself the American Nightmare?
A.Rhodes calls himself “The American Nightmare” to pay homage to his late father, “The American Dream”, Dusty Rhodes.
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