Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes
(''
né
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth ...
'' Runnels; born June 30, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to
WWE, where he performs on the
Raw brand
Raw is a brand of the American professional wrestling promotion WWE that was established on March 25, 2002. Brands are divisions of WWE's roster where wrestlers are assigned to perform on a weekly basis when a brand extension is in effect. Wrestle ...
. Rhodes is also known for his time in
All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
(AEW), where he served as an
executive vice president and was the inaugural and first ever three-time
AEW TNT Champion.
Rhodes rose to prominence during his first tenure with WWE from 2006 to 2016, where he performed under his real name, as well as under the
gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
and ring name Stardust, an overly deep, dramatic, and sparkling
spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
gimmick of his half-brother's
Goldust character. Rhodes has also wrestled for various other notable promotions, including
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA),
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was s ...
(ROH), and
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority share ...
(NJPW). Outside of wrestling, he serves as a judge on the competition series ''
Go-Big Show'', and stars with his wife
Brandi Rhodes on the reality show ''Rhodes to the Top''.
Rhodes is the son of wrestler
Dusty Rhodes and the half-brother of fellow wrestler
Dustin Rhodes
Dustin Patrick Runnels (born April 11, 1969) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Dustin Rhodes. He is best known for his multiple tenures with WWE ...
. After an
amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced in collegiate, school, or other amateur level competitions. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games: freestyle and Greco-Roman. Both styles are under the ...
career that resulted in him becoming a two-time
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to t ...
state champion, he followed his father and older brother's footsteps into the professional ranks and joined WWE in 2006, initially being assigned to the company's
developmental territory
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a highe ...
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former developmental promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow and Matt Jones and Louisville mayor elect, Craig Greenberg.
...
(OVW). After becoming a
Triple Crown Champion in OVW, he was promoted to WWE's main roster in 2007 and remained there for nine years, performing under his real name and later under the gimmick of
Stardust
Stardust may refer to:
* A type of cosmic dust, composed of particles in space
Entertainment Songs
* “Stardust” (1927 song), by Hoagy Carmichael
* “Stardust” (David Essex song), 1974
* “Stardust” (Lena Meyer-Landrut song), 2012
* ...
. During his time with WWE, Rhodes became a
two-time Intercontinental Champion and was a prolific
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
wrestler, winning six
world tag team championship
The world tag team championship is the name usually given to the primary tag team championships in professional wrestling promotions.
Nomenclature
The name of the promotion is often preceded to the term "world tag team championship" as the c ...
s (
three World Tag Team Championships and
three WWE Tag Team Championships) with four separate tag team partners.
Rhodes left WWE after requesting his release in May 2016.
Following his departure from WWE, Rhodes began wrestling on the
independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...
, also making several appearances in TNA; he wrestled under the shortened name Cody, due to WWE owning the Cody Rhodes name, until 2020 when WWE surrendered their trademark. In the time frame spanning from early 2016 to early 2017, he competed at WWE's
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event held annually between mid-March and mid-April by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Since premiering in 1985, 37 editions followed, ...
, ROH's
Final Battle, and NJPW's
Wrestle Kingdom events, as well as appearing for Impact Wrestling (formerly TNA) at
Bound for Glory. In September 2017, Rhodes wrestled in ROH, where he became a one-time
ROH World Champion. He would later become a one-time
IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion and a one-time
ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with
The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks are an American professional wrestling tag team and promoters, consisting of brothers Matthew and Nicholas Massie, who are known by their ring names Matt and Nick Jackson, respectively. They are signed to All Elite Wrestling (A ...
). In September 2018, he won the
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is a world heavyweight professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professional wrestling promotion. The current champion is Tyrus, who is ...
(due to ROH's partnership with the
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA began as a governing body for a ...
(NWA)), with he and Dusty becoming the first father and son to win the title. All totaled between WWE, AEW, NWA, ROH, and NJPW, Rhodes has held 15 championships, including two world titles, and in early fall 2018 held the NWA World, IWGP U.S., and ROH Six-Man titles simultaneously.
In January 2019, Rhodes was unveiled as an executive vice president of the newly formed AEW, where he would also serve as a wrestler. After failing to negotiate a new contract, Rhodes relinquished his position as an EVP and he and his wife departed AEW in February 2022. He returned to WWE at
WrestleMania 38 that April, defeating
Seth Rollins
Colby Daniel Lopez (born May 28, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Seth Rollins (often referred to as Seth "Freakin" Rollins).
Prior to signin ...
.
Early life
Rhodes was born Cody Garrett Runnels on Sunday, June 30, 1985, to the highly successful professional wrestler Virgil Runnels Jr., known professionally as
Dusty Rhodes
Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crocke ...
, and his second wife Michelle Rubio. In addition to half-brother
Dustin, he has two half-sisters from his father's first marriage. When he was a teenager, he legally changed his name to Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes.
Rhodes attended
Lassiter High School and had a successful high school
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
career.
He placed sixth in the division as a
sophomore
In the United States, a sophomore ( or ) is a person in the second year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of Post-secondary school, post-secondary educati ...
.
As a
junior, he won the Georgia state tournament at in 2003 and repeated as champion his senior year.
He had planned to
wrestle collegiately at
Penn State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State becam ...
, but decided to become a
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
instead.
During his time in high school, Rhodes also acted as a
referee
A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other tit ...
in his father's
Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling
Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling was a Southeastern independent professional wrestling promotion based in Marietta, Georgia. It was founded by retired wrestler and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dusty Rhodes in 2000 and, during its three y ...
promotion
Promotion may refer to:
Marketing
* Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...
.
After graduating high school, Rhodes attended an
acting school
A drama school, stage school or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school or department at a college or university; or a free-standing institution (such as the Drama section at the Juilliard School); which specializes in the pre ...
.
Professional wrestling career
World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE (2006–2016)
Ohio Valley Wrestling (2006–2007)
Rhodes originally credits his father Dusty Rhodes for starting his wrestling training, when Cody was only 12 years old; this was limited mainly to simple fundamentals and taking bumps. From there his training was provided by
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Al Snow. He is best known as a wrestler for Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Entertainment. ...
,
Danny Davis,
Randy Orton
Randal Keith Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and actor who is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand but is currently out of action due to a back injury. He is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
and
Ricky Morton. Using his birth name Cody Runnels, Rhodes began wrestling in
Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in May 2006.
Runnels formed a
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
with
Shawn Spears
Ronnie William Arneill (born February 19, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Shawn Spears, where he is a current member of The Pinnacle ...
in mid-August 2006 and won the
OVW Southern Tag Team Championship twice.
He also won the
OVW Heavyweight Championship
The OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) promotion. The original championship was designed and created in 1997 by Reggie Parks. The title was introduced on A ...
and the
OVW Television Championship.
Teaming with Hardcore Holly (2007–2008)
On the July 2, 2007 episode of ''
Raw,'' Runnels made his television debut, using his family's wrestling last name, Rhodes, in a backstage segment with his father
Dusty Rhodes and Randy Orton, where Orton introduced himself to Rhodes and then slapped Dusty as a sign of disrespect. Rhodes appeared at
The Great American Bash to prevent Orton from further attacking his father. The next night on ''Raw,'' Rhodes challenged Orton to a rematch from the previous week, only to lose again. Orton followed this up by kicking Rhodes' father in the head.
On September, he began a feud with
Hardcore Holly
Robert William Howard (born January 29, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and former auto racer and wrestling trainer/ host, better known by the ring name Hardcore Holly or Bob Holly. He is best known for his 16-year career wit ...
and lost three consecutive matches to him. Later, they would work as a tag team and they defeated
Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch on the ''Raw''
15th Anniversary special episode for the
World Tag Team Championship
The world tag team championship is the name usually given to the primary tag team championships in professional wrestling promotions.
Nomenclature
The name of the promotion is often preceded to the term "world tag team championship" as the c ...
, marking Rhodes' first championship in WWE.
In May 2008,
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE working in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship ...
began feuding with the duo, threatening to take their titles in his first match as part of the Raw brand. At the pay-per-view event,
Night of Champions on June 29, Rhodes turned on Holly by revealing himself as Ted DiBiase's partner to help DiBiase win the match and also become a two-time World Tag Team Champion. turning heel in the process
The Legacy (2008–2010)
After holding the championship for just over a month, they
dropped it to
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
and
Batista
Batista is a Spanish or Portuguese surname. Notable persons with the name include:
* Batista (footballer, born 1955), Brazilian football player
* Dave Bautista, American actor and professional wrestler, also known as Batista
* Edina Alves Batis ...
on the August 4, 2008 episode of ''Raw,'' but regained it the next week.
Rhodes and DiBiase were then joined by
Manu
Manu may refer to:
Geography
*Manú Province, a province of Peru, in the Madre de Dios Region
** Manú National Park, Peru
**Manú River, in southeastern Peru
* Manu River (Tripura), which originates in India and flows into Bangladesh
*Manu Temp ...
, the son of
Afa Afa or AFA may refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Afa (mythology), in the Polynesian mythology of Samoa
* Afá, a West African religion, also known as Ifá in some languages
Governmental
* Agence française anticorruption, the French Anti-Corrupti ...
, in September, forming a stable of multi-generational wrestlers. On the October 27 ''Raw,'' Rhodes and DiBiase lost the World Tag Team Championship to
Kofi Kingston
Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one- ...
and
CM Punk
Phillip Jack Brooks (born October 26, 1978), better known by the ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler, sports commentator, actor, and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Best known ...
.
On November they began a storyline with Orton and, at
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the s ...
, Rhodes, along with Orton, was a survivor, for Orton's team, in the annual Elimination match. The three of them created a stable with Orton called
The Legacy.
As part of the Legacy, Rhodes entered the
Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
in order to help Orton win, and lasted until the final three, before being eliminated by Triple H. Rhodes and DiBiase became involved in Orton's scripted rivalry with the
McMahon family
The McMahon family is an Irish-American family, primarily known for their involvement in the professional wrestling business. They are the founders, owners, and promoters of the wrestling company, WWE. Vince McMahon, a third generation wrestlin ...
, helping him to attack
Shane and
Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie McMahon Levesque (born Stephanie Marie McMahon; ; September 24, 1976) is an American businesswoman and retired professional wrestler. She is the current chairwoman and co-chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the world's largest prof ...
, and Stephanie's real-life husband, Triple H. Rhodes was elevated to
main event
In sports, a card lists the matches taking place in a title match combat-sport event. Cards include a main event match and the undercard listing the rest of the matches. The undercard may be divided into a midcard and a lower card, according to ...
status as a result of joining the Legacy, competing in handicap and six-man tag team matches against Orton's opponents and rivals.
On April 26 at
Backlash, Rhodes, DiBiase, and Orton defeated Triple H, Batista, and Shane McMahon in a six-man tag team match, which, per the pre-match stipulation, resulted in Orton winning the
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDo ...
. Rhodes suffered a minor neck injury in June, but continued working.
Throughout mid-2009, Rhodes and DiBiase continued to compete against and attack Orton's rivals, especially Triple H. This led to Triple H reforming
D-Generation X
D-Generation X (DX) is an American professional wrestling stable, and later a tag team, who consisted of Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
The group originated in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now known as WWE) in the midst of the " Att ...
(D-X) with Shawn Michaels, and D-X defeated Rhodes and DiBiase at
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's se ...
. Rhodes and DiBiase defeated D-X at the following pay-per-view,
Breaking Point in a
submissions count anywhere match, but were defeated in a
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fe ...
match at the
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fe ...
pay-per-view in October, when Rhodes was pinned following a
sledgehammer
A sledgehammer is a tool with a large, flat, often metal head, attached to a long handle. The long handle combined with a heavy head allows the sledgehammer to gather momentum during a swing and apply a large force compared to hammers designed t ...
shot to the head. Rhodes represented Team Raw at the first
Bragging Rights
Boasting or bragging is speaking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
Boasting occurs when someone feels a sense of satisfaction or when someone feels that whatever occurred proves the ...
pay-per-view in October, reluctantly teaming with D-X. The match would go on to be won by Team
SmackDown. At
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the s ...
, having aided Orton in his feud with Kofi Kingston, was part of Team Orton (against Team Kingston) alongside DiBiase. Kingston would lastly eliminate Orton in the match to be sole survivor.
Tension within The Legacy became apparent at the
2010 Royal Rumble, when Rhodes attempted to interfere in Orton's match for the WWE Championship. Rhodes was caught by the referee, resulting in a disqualification for Orton, who attacked Rhodes and DiBiase, who had tried to help Rhodes, after the match. On the February 15 ''Raw'', Orton took on
Sheamus
Stephen Farrelly (born 28 January 1978) is an Irish professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sheamus.
Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on the European in ...
in a non-title rematch, but was again disqualified after Rhodes and DiBiase interfered. During the WWE Championship
Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE. The match was founded by Chris Jericho , created and introduced by Eric Bischoff in November 2002. It features a large chain-linked circular steel ...
match pay-per-view, Rhodes interfered, passing a lead pipe through the cage to DiBiase. DiBiase hit Orton with the pipe and eliminated him from the match. The next night on ''Raw'', Orton attacked Rhodes and DiBiase during a six-man tag team match, and they attacked Orton the following week in retaliation. This led to a triple threat match at
WrestleMania XXVI, in which Orton defeated Rhodes and DiBiase.
Dashing and Undashing (2010–2011)
As part of the
2010 WWE supplemental draft, Rhodes was drafted to the SmackDown brand. He made his debut for the brand on the April 30 ''SmackDown'', by defeating
John Morrison John Morrison or Morison may refer to:
In politics
* John Morrison (Manitoba politician) (1868–1930), politician in Manitoba, Canada
* John Morrison (Saskatchewan politician) (1872–1950), Canadian Member of Parliament
* John Morrison (intelli ...
.
The following week on ''SmackDown'', Rhodes participated in a tournament for the vacant
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, currently defended on the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two secondary championships for WWE's main r ...
, but lost to
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
in the semi-finals. Rhodes mentored
Husky Harris, a third-generation wrestler, in the second season of ''
NXT''. Rhodes would participate in the Money in the Bank ladder match at the first ever
Money in the Bank pay-per-view event but was unsuccessful as the match was won by Kane.
On the June 25 ''SmackDown'', Rhodes began a new narcissistic
gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
, claiming to be the best-looking wrestler in WWE and demanding to be called "Dashing" Cody Rhodes.
As part of the gimmick,
vignettes began airing in which Rhodes gave "grooming tips". He was extremely protective of his face during matches; if he was hit in the face, he threw a fit and checked his mirror. In September, he attacked Christian along with
Drew McIntyre
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE ...
after a match, and the duo also attacked
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is best known for his time with WWE.
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag t ...
, forming an alliance. At
Night of Champions in September, Rhodes and McIntyre captured the
WWE Tag Team Championship in a
Tag Team Turmoil match
Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder m ...
.
At
Bragging Rights
Boasting or bragging is speaking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
Boasting occurs when someone feels a sense of satisfaction or when someone feels that whatever occurred proves the ...
, Rhodes and McIntyre lost the championship to
The Nexus
NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members of the program can avoid waits at border ...
(John Cena and
David Otunga). On the October 29 ''SmackDown'', after losing a tag team match, Rhodes and McIntyre dissolved their partnership.
On January 21, 2011, Rhodes faced
Rey Mysterio
Óscar Gutiérrez (born December 11, 1974), better known by his ring name Rey Mysterio, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pro ...
in a match, during which Mysterio hit Rhodes in the face with his exposed knee brace and legitimately broke Rhodes' nose,
which led to Rhodes declaring he was no longer dashing and had required facial reconstructive surgery. Rhodes was off television for several weeks. Upon his return, he wore a clear protective mask over his face and colluded with his father to attack Mysterio and remove Mysterio's
mask
A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and pra ...
on the February 25 ''SmackDown''. Rhodes then regularly used his protective mask as a weapon during matches by headbutting opponents and using it to hit his opponents. In 2020, Rhodes said his time as Undashing Cody Rhodes was his second best work as a pro wrestler. Rhodes defeated Mysterio in a match at
WrestleMania XXVII on April 3. The duo also faced off in a Falls Count Anywhere match at the
Extreme Rules pay-per-view in May, which was won by Mysterio.
On subsequent episodes of ''SmackDown'' following WrestleMania XXVII, Rhodes, with the help of assistants, would hand out paper bags to the audience during his
promos. Rhodes demanded the audience to put on the paper bags on their heads to cover their ugliness and imperfections, because they offended him. Rhodes also put paper bags over several of his opponents' heads after matches with them. Rhodes reformed his alliance with Ted DiBiase on the May 20 ''SmackDown'', and the duo went on to feud with
Sin Cara and
Daniel Bryan Daniel Bryan may refer to:
* Bryan Danielson (born 1981), American professional wrestler who formerly used the ring name "Daniel Bryan"
* Dan Bryan (1900–1985), Irish soldier
* Daniel Bryan (Big Brother), contestant on the British reality televi ...
. At the
second annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Rhodes participated in the Money in the Bank ladder match, but was unsuccessful as Bryan won the match.
Intercontinental Champion (2011–2012)
At the August 9 tapings of the August 12 ''SmackDown'', Rhodes defeated
Ezekiel Jackson to win the Intercontinental Championship, his first singles title with the company.
The following week, Rhodes and DiBiase had a verbal confrontation with Orton. The following week, Rhodes attacked DiBiase after the latter lost a singles match to Orton, ending their alliance and resulting in an Intercontinental Championship match between the two at
Night of Champions, which Rhodes won. Simultaneously, Rhodes had begun a feud with Orton, with Orton defeating Rhodes on the September 9 ''SmackDown'', but Rhodes defeated Orton on the September 12 ''Raw'' when Mark Henry distracted Orton. On the September 23 ''SmackDown'', Rhodes defeated Orton by disqualification when Orton took Rhodes' mask off and hit him with it. Post-match, Orton attacked Rhodes with the timekeeper's bell,
legitimately cutting Rhodes and causing him to bleed. The following week on ''SmackDown'', Rhodes claimed he needed nine staples to close the wound.
At the
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fe ...
pay-per-view on October 2, Rhodes debuted a new design for the Intercontinental Championship, which included a white strap and plates similar to the title's classic 1980s design, before successfully defending it against John Morrison. Throughout October, Rhodes continued feuding with Orton, explaining that Orton had mistreated him during their time together as part of
Legacy
In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property.
Legacy or legacies may refer ...
, costing him the World Heavyweight Championship and attacking him. At
Vengeance
Vengeance may refer to:
*Vengeance (concept) or revenge, a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance
Film
* ''Vengeance'' (1930 film), action adventure film directed by Archie Mayo
* ''Vengeance'' (1937 film) or ''W ...
, Rhodes was defeated by Orton in a non-title match. On the November 4 ''SmackDown'', Orton defeated Rhodes in a Street Fight to end the feud; in the process, Orton broke Rhodes' mask. On the November 14 ''Raw'', Rhodes reappeared without his mask, claiming that Orton had set him free, signalling the end of his masked gimmick. At
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the s ...
, Rhodes was sole survivor alongside Team Captain
Wade Barrett
Stuart Alexander Bennett (born 10 August 1980) is an English-American professional wrestling commentator, actor, and former professional wrestler who holds both British and American citizenship. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is a col ...
in their traditional Survivor Series match against Team Orton.
Rhodes then feuded with ''SmackDown'' commentator
Booker T Booker T or Booker T. may refer to
* Booker T. Washington (1856–1915), African American political leader at the turn of the 20th century
** List of things named after Booker T. Washington, some nicknamed "Booker T."
* Booker T. Jones (born 1944 ...
, attacking him from behind on several occasions and successfully retaining the Intercontinental Championship against him at
Tables, Ladders & Chairs and on the January 6, 2012 ''SmackDown''. In the
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
Royal Rumble match, Rhodes lasted over 40 minutes and eliminated more wrestlers than other any other competitor with six, before he was eliminated by
Big Show
Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as an in-ring performer, and as a commentator for its web television show, '' AEW Dark: Elevation,'' under ...
. At
Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE. The match was founded by Chris Jericho , created and introduced by Eric Bischoff in November 2002. It features a large chain-linked circular steel ...
Rhodes pinned Big Show in the
World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber match, before being eliminated by Santino Marella.
Rhodes spent the following weeks highlighting Big Show's embarrassing moments in previous WrestleManias, often costing Big Show to lose matches in the process. At
WrestleMania XXVIII, Rhodes lost the Intercontinental Championship to Big Show, ending his near eight-month reign of 233 days.
Following the loss at WrestleMania, Rhodes went on a brief losing streak, due to Big Show distracting him during matches. Four weeks after losing the title, Rhodes regained it at
Extreme Rules by defeating Big Show in a Tables match.
On the May 7 episode of ''Raw'', Rhodes retained his title against Big Show in a rematch after getting himself counted out. Two weeks later at
Over the Limit, Rhodes lost the Intercontinental Championship to the returning Christian. He would go on to lose to Christian in a rematch for the title at
No Way Out. On the June 29 ''SmackDown'', Rhodes and David Otunga were defeated by Christian and
United States Champion Santino Marella in a
Money in the Bank qualification match for the World Heavyweight Championship, due to Otunga being pinned.
Afterwards, Rhodes claimed that he had not lost and demanded another chance.
[ Four days later on ''Super SmackDown Live'', the WWE Board of Directors granted Rhodes another shot and he defeated Christian to earn a spot in the match. At Money in the Bank, he was unsuccessful as the match was won by ]Dolph Ziggler
Nicholas Theodore Nemeth (born July 27, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and stand-up comedian. He is currently signed to WWE under the ring name Dolph Ziggler, where he performs on the Raw brand.
After a prolific career in amateu ...
. On September 16 at Night of Champions, Rhodes failed to capture the Intercontinental Championship from The Miz
Michael Gregory Mizanin (born October 8, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name The Miz.
Mizanin first gained fame ...
in a fatal-four-way match, also involving Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara.
Team Rhodes Scholars (2012–2013)
Rhodes then aligned himself with Damien Sandow, attacking Tag Team Champions Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) on the September 24 ''Raw''. The team, now known as "Rhodes Scholars", won a Tag Team Championship tournament to become the number one contenders to the Tag Team Championship, but they were defeated by the champions twice. Rhodes suffered a concussion and a strained shoulder, resulting in him being removed from his traditional five-on-five tag team match at Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the s ...
.
After he returned from injury, sporting a mustache
A moustache (; en-US, mustache, ) is a strip of facial hair grown above the upper lip. Moustaches have been worn in various styles throughout history.
Etymology
The word "moustache" is French, and is derived from the Italian ''mustaccio'' ...
, and he and Sandow worked as tag team, facing the champions Team Hell No twice: one at ''Main Event'' and another at the Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle r ...
. They also joined by The Bella Twins as they began feuding with Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tensai) and The Funkadactyls
The Funkadactyls were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Naomi and Cameron. The women initially worked for WWE as the dancers and valets of Brodus Clay in 2012–2013, but they soon separated to act alone in the women's division.
...
(Cameron
Cameron may refer to:
People
* Clan Cameron, a Scottish clan
* Cameron (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Cameron (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
;Mononym
* Cam'ron (born 197 ...
and Naomi). The two teams were originally booked to face each other in an eight-person mixed tag team match on April 7 at WrestleMania 29, but their match was cut due to time constraints. The match instead took place the following night on ''Raw'', where Tons of Funk and The Funkadactyls emerged victorious.
On July 14 at Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Rhodes competed in the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank ladder match, which was won by Damien Sandow after Sandow turned on Rhodes and threw him off of the ladder just as Rhodes was about to win the match. The following night on ''Raw'', Rhodes attacked Sandow and dissolved Team Rhodes Scholars, turning face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
for the first time since 2008. They feuded over the briefcase, which Rhodes threw it into the Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United S ...
. On August 18 at SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's se ...
, now no longer sporting a mustache, Rhodes defeated Sandow in a singles match, and did so again the following night on ''Raw''.
The Brotherhood (2013–2014)
Since September 2013, Rhodes started an storyline with his brother against Triple H. After Rhodes was defeated by Orton, he was fired in storyline. This was put in place to give Rhodes time off for his marriage and honeymoon to Brandi Reed. Over the next few weeks, Rhodes' brother Goldust also lost to Orton with Cody's reinstatement on the line, while his father Dusty Rhodes was knocked out by Big Show while pleading for his sons to get their jobs back. In return, the vengeful Rhodes brothers gatecrashed ''Raw'' by attacking The Shield
''The Shield'' is an American crime drama television series starring Michael Chiklis that premiered on March 12, 2002, on FX in the United States, and concluded on November 25, 2008, after seven seasons. Known for its portrayal of corrupt pol ...
.
On October 6 at Battleground
A battlefield, battleground, or field of battle is the location of a present or historic battle involving ground warfare. It is commonly understood to be limited to the point of contact between opposing forces, though battles may involve troops ...
, Rhodes and Goldust defeated the WWE Tag Team Champions, Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and former football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Roman Reigns. He is the leader of The ...
and Seth Rollins
Colby Daniel Lopez (born May 28, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Seth Rollins (often referred to as Seth "Freakin" Rollins).
Prior to signin ...
in a non-title match with the stipulation that they would be resigned again. The Rhodes brothers then retain the titles for month, including the former champions The Shield, until they lost them at the Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle r ...
to The New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws were an American professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation (WWF) made up of "Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Badd Ass" Billy Gunn. The duo became popular in the late 1990s as members of the second incarnation ...
.
Stardust, creative frustration and departure (2014–2016)
On the June 16 ''Raw'', Rhodes debuted a new character called Stardust (a ring name also previously used by his father during his time in American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The territory was originally part o ...
), with face paint, a bodysuit and mannerisms similar to those of Goldust. He teamed with his brother to defeat RybAxel that night and then at both Money in the Bank and on ''Raw''. On the August 18 ''Raw'', Stardust and Goldust defeated the WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos
The Usos (born August 22, 1985) are an American professional wrestling tag team composed of twin brothers Joshua Samuel Fatu and Jonathan Solofa Fatu, who are known professionally by their respective ring names Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso. They ar ...
in a non-title match. This led to a rematch on the August 25 ''Raw'', where Stardust and Goldust defeated The Usos via countout, but did not win the titles. After the match, both Stardust and Goldust attacked The Usos. At Night of Champions, Stardust and Goldust defeated the Usos to become WWE Tag Team Champions for their second reign as a team. At Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fe ...
, they successfully retained against The Usos. They lost the title to Damien Mizdow and The Miz in a fatal four-way tag team match also involving The Usos and Los Matadores the next month at Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the s ...
, while also losing a rematch the next night on ''Raw''. At TLC they lost to the newly formed team The New Day.
On February, the team disbanded after Cody executed ''Cross Rhodes'' on Goldust. This led to a match between Goldust and Stardust at Fastlane, which Goldust won. The brothers tried to have a match at WrestleMania, but the WWE Chairman Vince McMahon didn't book the match, since he felt the match wasn't good enought for WrestleMania.
The Stardust character eventually evolved to resemble a comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. ...
supervillain
A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.
Supervillains are often ...
, which led to him entering a storyline rivalry with actor Stephen Amell
Stephen Adam Amell (born May 8, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He came to prominence for playing the lead role of Oliver Queen on The CW superhero series ''Arrow'' (2012–2020). Amell also appeared in subsequent Arrowverse franchise media, along w ...
, renamingd his finishing maneuver ''The Queen's Crossbow'', after Oliver Queen
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
, Amell's character from ''Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers ...
''.[ At ]SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's se ...
, he and Barrett were defeated in a tag team match by Amell and Neville. Then, he began to work with The Ascension, forming the faction "The Cosmic Wasteland". At Night of Champions, they defeated Neville and The Lucha Dragons in a six-man tag team match in the pre-show.
From September until May, he worked on television and PPV in minor storylines and loses. At WrestleMania 32
WrestleMania 32 was the 32nd annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on April 3, 2016, at the AT&T Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. This was the last Wre ...
, Stardust competed in a seven-man ladder match
A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling, most commonly one in which an item (usually a title belt) is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item. The ladder itself becom ...
for the Intercontinental Championship, which was won by Zack Ryder. On May 21, 2016, Rhodes revealed on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
that he had requested his release from WWE, which was officially granted the following day. Rhodes cited frustrations with WWE's creative department and his position within the company as the reasons for requesting his release, noting that he had "pleaded" with writers to end the Stardust gimmick for over six months and pitched numerous storyline ideas which had been ignored. Reflecting on Rhodes' WWE career, Dave Meltzer
David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American journalist who reports on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Since 1983, he has been the publisher and editor of the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON''). He has als ...
of the ''Wrestling Observer
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four Wee ...
'' wrote that following his run with Legacy, Rhodes was "used as more of a lower and mid-card wrestler in a number of changing roles", adding that "his career had gone nowhere and he hadn't been used well". James Caldwell of ''Pro Wrestling Torch'' wrote that Rhodes "had been floundering as the Stardust character over the past year or so, mostly landing on ''Superstars'' or ''Main Event''".[ Jason Powell of ''Pro Wrestling Dot Net'' commented that Rhodes choosing to leave was "surprising in the sense that Cody and his family have worked for WWE for so long". Meanwhile, Dave Scherer of ''Pro Wrestling Insider'' wrote: "I can't say I blame him a bit. Not even a little bit. WWE never gave him a real chance, and that's just sad to me". In September 2019, Rhodes revealed WWE Executive Vice President Triple H's reaction to his WWE departure, where Rhodes stated:
]Hunter riple Htook it very personally because he had done so much for my dad at NXT. There was one conversation where he said, "I'm shocked that you feel this way after everything I've done for your family." But I told him, "I'm not my dad. I can't stay here out of loyalty to you for giving my dad a job in 2005. I get it, and the little boy in me really appreciates what you did for my dad. But I'm not him. He's not here anymore. I've got to be me." I think Hunter, he's been in wrestling long enough that he knew, "Oh, this is a real one. He's not asking for more money. He's not asking for a title shot. Nothing would matter at this point." I let the burn get too bad before I said anything, if that makes any sense.
Despite that, Rhodes has consistently spoken highly of WWE in the years since his departure, adding that there are no grudges between him and the company and understands any decisions the company makes regarding him are largely business-based. This included WWE redesigning the Intercontinental Championship belt (whose 2011–2019 design was introduced in storyline by Rhodes) in 2019 around the same time AEW launched being a coincidence as opposed to trying to separate themselves from Rhodes, as Rhodes himself acknowledged that the physical belt was due for a redesign anyway.
Independent circuit (2016–2018)
After he left WWE, Rhodes continued working under his real name on the independent circuit, but often dropped his last name in order to avoid conflict with WWE. Rhodes' first post-WWE match was for Evolve in Joppa, Maryland on August 19 at Evolve 66, defeating Zack Sabre Jr. by submission. After the match, Rhodes called out Drew Galloway
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE Int ...
. The following day, he lost to Chris Hero
Chris Spradlin (born December 24, 1979), better known by his ring name Chris Hero, is an American professional wrestler and trainer. He is currently signed to Ring of Honor as a producer. Hero has worked for a number of independent wrestling p ...
.
Rhodes wrestled for the Northeast Wrestling
Northeast Wrestling (NEW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeastern United States and has promoted events since 1996. It is currently owned and operated by promoter Mike Lombardi and is one of the top indepen ...
promotion from August 25 to 28. On August 25, he beat Brian Anthony in a match with Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood Sr. (born February 28, 1953), better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is an American retired professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his work with the American Wrestling Association (A ...
as the guest referee, in Pomona, New York
Pomona is a village partly in the town of Ramapo and partly in the town of Haverstraw in Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of New Hempstead, east of Harriman State Park, north of Monsey and west of Mount Ivy. Acco ...
. On August 25, Rhodes beat Mike Bennett in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all ...
(the match had been announced on June 3 and their wives were in their corners). On August 27, he beat Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling, and former collegiate wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in WWE and Total Nonstop Actio ...
in Wappingers Falls, New York
Wappingers Falls is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 5,522. The community was named for the cascade in Wappinger Creek. The Wappingers Falls post office covers areas in the tow ...
. On August 28, Rhodes beat Sami Callihan
Samuel Alton Johnston (born September 1, 1987) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by the ring name Sami Callihan, currently signed with Impact Wrestling and is a former Impact World Champion. He also wrestled for Lu ...
in Bangor, Maine
Bangor ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Penobscot County. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's 3rd-largest settlement, behind Portland (68,408) and Lewiston (37,121).
Modern Bangor ...
.
On June 6, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Los Angeles, California. It is owned and operated by wrestlers themselves, having been created by Disco Machine, Excalibur, Scott Lost, Joey Ryan, Super ...
(PWG) announced that Rhodes would be wrestling in their annual Battle of Los Angeles tournament. On September 3, Rhodes, billed as Cody R, defeated Sami Callihan in his first round match in the tournament. The following day, Rhodes was eliminated from the tournament in the quarterfinals by eventual winner Marty Scurll
Martin Scurll (born 26 July 1988) is an English professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Ring of Honor (ROH) as the leader of the stable Villain Enterprises, where he was a one-time ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship and a o ...
.
On November 26 at WrestleCade's Showcase of Champions, Rhodes defeated Sonjay Dutt
Retesh Bhalla (born April 7, 1982) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a producer and manager. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop ActionImpact Wrestling under the ring name Sonj ...
for the GFW NEX*GEN Championship. On March 3, 2017, Rhodes appeared for Northeast Wrestling (NEW) in Connecticut, defeating Kurt Angle in a steel cage match. On March 18, 2017, Cody defeated Mike Bennett for the NEW Heavyweight Championship.[ On December 1, 2017, Rhodes lost the NEW Heavyweight Championship to Flip Gordon in a triple threat match.
On October 6, 2016, he made his debut with What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) at the iPPV Refuse to Lose under the ring name Cody Rhodes, defeating Doug Williams. The following day at the 14th episode of ''Loaded'', Rhodes unsuccessfully challenged ]Joseph Conners
Joseph Conners (born 28 May 1987) is an English professional wrestler. Conners competed in many British wrestling promotions, most notably New Generation Wrestling (NGW) and What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW), where he was a one-time WCPW Cham ...
for the WCPW Championship. Rhodes faced Kurt Angle at True Legacy in a losing effort. After the match, Rhodes issued a challenge to El Ligero
Simon Musk (born 7 January 1985) is an English professional wrestler better known under his in-ring persona of masked Mexican luchador, El Ligero (or simply Ligero). He is most known for his time in WWE, on their NXT UK brand.
Professional w ...
for the WCPW Internet Championship, which Ligero accepted. On November 30 at Delete WCPW, Rhodes defeated El Ligero for the WCPW Internet Championship and retained his GFW NEX*GEN Championship at the same time in a title for title match.
On April 29, 2017, at No Regrets, Rhodes lost the WCPW Internet Championship to Gabriel Kidd in a triple threat match also involving Joe Hendry. Later that night, Rhodes took part in a battle royal for the WCPW Championship but was eliminated by Joe Coffey. The following day, Rhodes defeated former WCPW Champion Drew Galloway in his final match with WCPW.
In May 2017, Dave Meltzer suggested that an independent wrestling show would be unable to sell out a ten thousand seat arena in the United States. Rhodes, along with The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks are an American professional wrestling tag team and promoters, consisting of brothers Matthew and Nicholas Massie, who are known by their ring names Matt and Nick Jackson, respectively. They are signed to All Elite Wrestling (A ...
, challenged the idea by planning a show specifically for the purposes of drawing ten thousand fans. In May 2018, it was announced that the show would be named All In. On May 13, 2018, tickets to "All In" sold out in 30 minutes. At the event on September 1, Cody defeated Nick Aldis
Nicholas Aldis (born 6 November 1986) is an English professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). He is also known for his time in Impact Wrestling under the ring name Magnus.
Aldis made his debut on ...
to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is a world heavyweight professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professional wrestling promotion. The current champion is Tyrus, who is ...
. Cody lost the championship back to Aldis in a two-out-of-three falls match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
at the NWA 70th Anniversary Show
The NWA 70th Anniversary Show was a professional wrestling supercard that took place on October 21, 2018 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the first event produced under the NWA banner since William Patrick ...
on October 21.
Ring of Honor (2016–2018)
On July 19, 2016, Rhodes announced that he would appear at Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was s ...
's (ROH) Final Battle pay-per-view on December 2. ROH made the official announcement the following day. At the event, Rhodes, who was simply billed as Cody, defeated Jay Lethal following a low blow, then proceed to attack Lethal, senior referee Todd Sinclair, taunted ROH fans and shoved ROH commentator Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino (born May 29, 1973) is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler currently signed with WWE as a trainer and producer for their developmental territory NXT. He is best known for his tenure with Extreme Championsh ...
. On the January 18 episode of ''Ring of Honor Wrestling
''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', often shortened as ''ROH Wrestling TV'' or ''ROH TV'', is an American professional wrestling television series produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). The series featured professional wrestlers competing in matches and con ...
'', Cody defeated Corino. At the Supercard of Honor XI
Supercard of Honor XI was the 11th Supercard of Honor professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH). It took place Saturday, April 1, 2017, at the Lakeland Center (Jenkins Arena) in Lakeland, Florida ...
event on April 1, Cody was defeated by Jay Lethal in a Texas Bullrope match. Later in the night, he attacked former ROH World Champion Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell (born March 24, 1970), better known by the ring name Christopher Daniels, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and is the Head of Talent Relations. He is best know ...
. On May 12 at War of the Worlds, Cody unsuccessfully challenged Christopher Daniels for the ROH World Championship in a three-way match also involving Jay Lethal. On June 23 at Best in the World, Cody defeated Daniels to become the new ROH World Champion, marking the first world title of his career. Cody was also billed as the first member of the Rhodes family to capture a world title in 31 years. Cody and Dusty are the second father-son combination to win major world championships in the United States after Fritz and Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3, 1960 – February 18, 1993), better known by his ring name Kerry Von Erich, was an American professional wrestler. He was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers. He is best known for his time wi ...
.
On September 23, it was confirmed that Cody had signed a multi-year contract with ROH. On December 15 at Final Battle, Cody, now with bleach blonde hair, lost the ROH World Championship to Dalton Castle. On July 21, 2018, he and fellow Bullet Club members The Young Bucks defeated The Kingdom to win the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
The ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion. Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won as a result of a match with a predetermined outcome. ...
, marking his first reign. Cody and The Bucks lost the titles at Survival of the Fittest to The Kingdom on November 4 after a 106-day reign and two successful title defenses. Cody faced Jay Lethal for the ROH World Championship at Final Battle, but he lost the match. The next day, Cody left ROH.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling/Impact Wrestling (2016–2017)
Rhodes was expected to work events for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
(TNA) while simultaneously working in ROH, both deals being non-exclusive. On September 22, TNA confirmed Rhodes, billed as Cody, would be debuting for the promotion on October 2 at Bound for Glory. At Bound for Glory, Cody, alongside his wife Brandi Rhodes, made his debut as a face, attacking Mike Bennett and his wife Maria to begin a feud between the two couples. On the October 6 episode of ''Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the pro ...
'', Cody cut a promo where he put over the company and said he has a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The Impact World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It is the promotion's principal championship. Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won via the result ...
, but Bennett and Maria interrupted and the segment ended with a brawl. On the October 13 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Cody made his in-ring debut by defeating Bennett. On the October 20 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Cody challenged Eddie Edwards for the Impact World Heavyweight Championship, but lost the match. On the October 27 ''Impact Wrestling'', Cody and Brandi defeated Bennett and Maria. After the match, Cody was attacked backstage by Lashley, and this was done to write him off television.
Cody returned on the February 23, 2017 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', calling out Moose
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
to thank him for helping his wife Brandi while he was away. After learning Brandi had Moose's phone number, Cody attacked Moose, turning heel. On the March 30 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Cody unsuccessfully faced Moose for the Impact Grand Championship
The Impact Grand Championship was a professional wrestling championship owned by Impact Wrestling.
History
The title was introduced at the August 13, 2016, tapings of TNA's television program ''Impact Wrestling'', after then-TNA President Billy ...
. Rhodes' contract with the promotion ended shortly after.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2016–2019)
On December 10, 2016, Rhodes, billed as "The American Nightmare" Cody, appeared at New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority share ...
's (NJPW) World Tag League The World Tag League may refer to any of the following professional wrestling tournaments held in Japan:
* World Tag League (JWA), 1970 to 1972, hosted by Japanese Wrestling Association
* World Tag League (NJPW), annually since 1991, hosted by New ...
finals via video package, announcing himself as the newest member of Bullet Club
(stylised as BULLET CLUB), sometimes shortened to BC, is a professional wrestling stable primarily appearing in the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In the United States, the group currently appears on NJPW events run by the ...
. On January 4, 2017, Cody defeated Juice Robinson
Joseph Ryan Robinson (born April 10, 1989), better known by his ring name Juice Robinson, is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Robinson is also a member of the Bullet Club stable and also wrest ...
in his debut match at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome. Cody returned to NJPW in February during the NJPW and ROH co-produced Honor Rising: Japan 2017 shows. After defeating Michael Elgin
Aaron Frobel (born December 13, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Michael Elgin. He most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was a one-time GHC Tag Team Champion with Masa Kitamiya ...
at Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall on June 11, Cody challenged Kazuchika Okada
(born November 8, 1987) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Okada is a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion where his fourth reign with the championship is the longest in history at 720 days. He also ho ...
to a match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
The was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an ...
. The match took place on July 1 at G1 Special in USA, with Okada winning. During the finals of the G1 Climax 27 on August 13, Cody and Bullet Club stablemate Hangman Page unsuccessfully challenged War Machine ( Hanson and Raymond Rowe
Raymond Rowe Sr. (born August 21, 1984) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Erik. He is also known for his work in Ring of Honor (ROH), where he and his ta ...
) for the IWGP Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of the NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on December 12, 1985 at an NJPW live event. ...
.
Cody faced Kota Ibushi
is a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), but is currently inactive due to suffering a shoulder injury. In March 2021, he became the company's inaugural IWGP World Heavyweight Champion b ...
at Wrestle Kingdom 12
Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2018, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 27th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, which is NJPW's ...
on January 4, 2018, in a losing effort. At The New Beginning in Sapporo, he attacked Kenny Omega
Tyson Smith (born October 16, 1983), better known by the ring name Kenny Omega, is a Canadian-born professional wrestler. Omega is an executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), in which he also performs. Omega is a former one-time ...
with the help of Page, eventually being stopped by Ibushi. This led to a match at the G1 Special in San Francisco
G1 Special in San Francisco was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on July 7, 2018, at the Cow Palace in the San Francisco suburb of Daly City, California. The event was broadcast on AXS ...
on July 7, where Cody unsuccessfully challenged Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. After the match, as the "BC Firing Squad" of King Haku, Tanga Loa, and Tama Tonga attacked Omega and the rest of Bullet Club, Cody refused to aid the attackers and embraced the Bullet Club members afterward. At Fighting Spirit Unleashed, Cody defeated Robinson to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, his first championship in NJPW. Cody again failed to defeat Omega for the championship in a three-way match also involving Kota Ibushi at King of Pro-Wrestling on October 8. On October 24, Cody announced that he was no longer affiliated with Bullet Club, and he would continue teaming with Omega, The Young Bucks, Hangman Page and Marty Scurll as The Elite. At Wrestle Kingdom 13 on January 4, 2019, Cody lost the United States Heavyweight Championship back to Robinson. On February 7, his profile was removed from NJPW website.
All Elite Wrestling (2018–2022)
Formation of AEW and early storylines (2018–2020)
In November 2018, several trademarks were filed in Jacksonville, Florida that indicated the launch of a new wrestling promotion. On January 1, 2019, All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
(AEW) was unveiled during a conference in Jacksonville, with Cody revealing that he, along with Matt and Nick Jackson of The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, would serve as Executive Vice Presidents, as well as on-air talent. Both Cody and The Young Bucks signed five-year contracts with the promotion. At their inaugural event on May 25, Double or Nothing
Double or nothing (UK often double or quits) is a gamble to decide whether a loss or debt should be doubled. The result of a "double or nothing" bet is either the subject doubled to twice the amount as the original ''or'' the doubling of a debt. It ...
, Cody defeated Dustin Rhodes
Dustin Patrick Runnels (born April 11, 1969) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Dustin Rhodes. He is best known for his multiple tenures with WWE ...
in an acclaimed match; it would later win "Match of the Year" from ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''. On June 29 at Fyter Fest, Cody wrestled Darby Allin
Samuel Ratsch (born January 7, 1993), better known by the ring name Darby Allin, is an American professional wrestler signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a former and longest-reigning AEW TNT Champion. He is also known for his app ...
to a time limit draw. After the match, Rhodes was attacked by Shawn Spears
Ronnie William Arneill (born February 19, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Shawn Spears, where he is a current member of The Pinnacle ...
and struck with a chair shot that caused Rhodes to bleed heavily from the back of his head. While Rhodes did not suffer a concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentratio ...
, he did require 12 surgical staple
Surgical staples are specialized staples used in surgery in place of sutures to close skin wounds or connect or remove parts of the bowels or lungs. The use of staples over sutures reduces the local inflammatory response, width of the wound ...
s. Spears' actions would be condemned by MJF, Cody's self-proclaimed best friend. MJF would later become Cody's cornerman
In combat sports, a cornerman, or second, is a coach or trainer assisting a fighter during a bout. The cornerman is forbidden to instruct and must remain outside the combat area during the round. In the break, they are permitted to enter the ri ...
for his matches.
At All Out on August 31, Cody emerged victorious over Spears. With this win, Cody improved his win–loss–draw record in singles matches to 2–0–1, granting him a match for the AEW World Championship against Chris Jericho at the Full Gear pay-per-view. On the premiere episode of '' Dynamite'' on October 2, Cody and The Young Bucks were beaten down by Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz, leading to the creation of The Inner Circle to rival The Elite. On the November 6 episode of ''Dynamite'', Cody announced that if he were to lose at Full Gear, he would never challenge for the AEW World Championship again. At Full Gear on November 9, Cody failed to win the championship from Jericho after MJF threw in the towel
A submission is a combat sports term for yielding to the opponent, and hence resulting in an immediate defeat. The submission – then also referred to as a "tap out" or "tapping out" – is often performed by visibly tapping the floor or the opp ...
. After the match, MJF turned on Cody by kicking him the groin.
Over the following months, Cody attempted to secure a match with MJF, which MJF agreed to do as long as Cody met three stipulations: he could not touch MJF until the match, he would have to defeat MJF's bodyguard Wardlow in a steel cage match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, and he would have to take ten lashes with a leather belt. After taking the lashes, Cody defeated Wardlow in a steel cage match on the February 19, 2020 episode of ''Dynamite'' to arrange the match for the Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
pay-per-view. Cody was defeated by MJF at Revolution on February 29.
TNT Champion and departure (2020–2022)
On March 30, AEW announced a new title, the AEW TNT Championship; Cody was announced as a participant for an eight-man, single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final mat ...
to crown the inaugural champion. Cody defeated Shawn Spears and Darby Allin to reach the finals of the tournament to face Lance Archer, who also advanced to the finals. At Double Or Nothing
Double or nothing (UK often double or quits) is a gamble to decide whether a loss or debt should be doubled. The result of a "double or nothing" bet is either the subject doubled to twice the amount as the original ''or'' the doubling of a debt. It ...
on May 23, Cody defeated Archer to become the inaugural TNT Champion; Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is con ...
afterwards presented Cody with the title belt. Over the following weeks, Cody successfully defended the championship against the likes of Jungle Boy, Marq Quen, Ricky Starks, Jake Hager, Sonny Kiss
Sonny Kiss (born December 11, 1993) is an American professional wrestler, dancer, and professional wrestling manager currently signed to All Elite Wrestling. Kiss wrestles in the men's division but identifies as genderfluid and prefers she/her p ...
, Eddie Kingston
Edward Moore (born December 12, 1981), better known by his ring name Eddie Kingston, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Kingston started his wrestling career in 2002, and has wrestled for numerous ...
, Warhorse
The first evidence of horses in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons. By 1600 BC, improved harness and chariot desig ...
, and Scorpio Sky. Cody lost the championship to Brodie Lee on the August 22 episode of ''Dynamite'', ending his reign at 82 days (91 days as recognized by AEW due to tape delay). Subsequently, it was reported that Cody would be taking up a leave of absence from the company.
Cody returned on the September 23 episode of ''Dynamite'', attacking Brodie Lee and members of his faction, The Dark Order
The Dark Order is a professional wrestling stable, currently performing in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The stable consists of Evil Uno, John Silver, Alex Reynolds, and Brodie Lee Jr.
The group debuted on the inaugural Double or Nothing pay-pe ...
. Cody would defeat Brodie Lee to win the TNT Championship in a Dog Collar match on the October 7 episode of ''Dynamite'', beginning his second reign with the championship, also marking Lee's final match before his death in December of that year. On November 7, Cody, now once again under the full name Cody Rhodes due to WWE cancelling their trademark on the name (in a settlement that saw Cody relinquishing his claim to the trademarks for several WCW event names), lost the TNT Championship to Darby Allin at Full Gear.
After losing the TNT Championship, Rhodes would begin a feud with famed basketball player Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program '' Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the great ...
. On the March 3, 2021 episode of ''Dynamite'', Rhodes teamed with Red Velvet in a loss to O'Neal and his partner Jade Cargill in a mixed tag team match. At the Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
event on March 7, Rhodes competed in the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match for a future opportunity at the TNT Championship, but the match was won by Scorpio Sky.
On the March 31 episode of ''Dynamite'', Rhodes began a feud with Q. T. Marshall, after Marshall and his allies Aaron Solow, Nick Comoroto and the debutant Anthony Ogogo
Anthony Osejua Ojo Ogogo (born 24 November 1988)
is an English professional wrestler and former professional boxer signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). As a boxer, he competed from 2013 to 2016 as a professional, and won a bronze medal in the ...
assaulted Rhodes after a match. At the Blood and Guts event on May 5, Rhodes defeated Marshall, before going on to defeat Ogogo at the Double or Nothing
Double or nothing (UK often double or quits) is a gamble to decide whether a loss or debt should be doubled. The result of a "double or nothing" bet is either the subject doubled to twice the amount as the original ''or'' the doubling of a debt. It ...
pay-per-view later that month. At the Road Rager event on July 7, Rhodes defeated Marshall in a South Beach Strap match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
to end the feud. Following this, Rhodes began a feud with the debuting Malakai Black. At the Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia.
...
event on August 4, Rhodes was quickly defeated by Black. After taking a hiatus, Rhodes returned to face Black in a rematch at Grand Slam on September 22, but he was again defeated. On the October 23 episode of ''Dynamite'', Rhodes finally defeated Black. At Full Gear, Rhodes teamed up with Pac Pac or PAC may refer to:
Military
* Rapid Deployment Force (Malaysia), an armed forces unit
* Patriot Advanced Capability, of the MIM-104 Patriot missile
* Civil Defense Patrols (''Patrullas de Autodefensa Civil''), Guatemalan militia and paramili ...
against Black and Andrade El Idolo in a winning effort. On the December 1 episode of ''Dynamite'', Rhodes defeated Andrade in an Atlanta street fight.
On December 25 at the special Holiday Bash
A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or t ...
episode of ''Rampage
Rampage may refer to:
Places
* Rampage Mountain, a mountain in Montana
People
* Quinton Jackson (born 1978; nicknamed "Rampage"), American mixed martial artist and actor
* Randy Rampage (1960-2018), Canadian musician
* Rampage (rapper) (born 1 ...
'', Rhodes defeated Sammy Guevara to win the TNT Championship for a record third time. At the Beach Break event on January 26, 2022, Rhodes lost the title back to Guevara in a highly acclaimed ladder match. This would be Rhodes' last match in AEW, as on February 15, 2022, several sources reported that he and his wife Brandi had left the promotion as they were unable to come to terms on a new contract.
Return to WWE (2022–present)
On March 18, 2022, it was reported by multiple sources that Rhodes had signed a contract with WWE. On the first night of WrestleMania 38, Rhodes was revealed as Seth "Freakin" Rollins' surprise opponent, making his return to WWE after six years and defeating Rollins. On the following episode of ''Raw'', Rhodes stated that he returned to WWE to win the championship that his father, Dusty Rhodes
Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crocke ...
, never got to hold, the WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDo ...
. Rhodes subsequently defeated Rollins once more in a rematch at WrestleMania Backlash. Ahead of their Hell in a Cell match at the eponymous event, Rhodes suffered a legitimate pectoral muscle tear, which had eventuated halfway through a brawl on the prior episode of ''Raw''. The injury was exacerbated when the muscle tore entirely off the bone while Rhodes was weight training in the days preceding the event. He entered Hell in a Cell with a massive spot of discolored skin, but despite the severe injury, managed to defeat Rollins for the third time. Dave Meltzer rated the match five stars, the first WWE main roster match since 2011 to receive such a rating. On the following episode of ''Raw'', Rhodes discussed his injury during a promo about the upcoming Money in the Bank event, until Rollins came out and shook his hand, then as Rhodes was making his exit, Rollins attacked him from behind with a sledgehammer. Three days later, it was announced that Rhodes underwent successful surgery to repair a torn right pectoral tendon, but was rendered unable to compete for nine months. At the Money in the Bank premium live event, Rhodes appeared in a pre-taped vignette discussing the injury and attack from Rollins, in which he promised to return soon.
Other media
In July 2009, Rhodes became one of the faces of the Gillette
Gillette is an American brand of safety razors and other personal care products including shaving supplies, owned by the multi-national corporation Procter & Gamble (P&G).
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, it was owned by The ...
"Be a Superstar" advertising campaign, along with Chris Jericho and John Cena. "Be a Superstar" was a four-month-long interactive campaign, which featured the wrestlers in numerous videos promoting Gillette Fusion products. In August 2009, Rhodes appeared on ''The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
''The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009, to January 22, 2010, as part of NBC's ''Tonight Show'' franchise. O'Brien had previously hosted NBC's ''Late N ...
''.
Rhodes guest-starred on ''Arrow'' in the fifth-season episode "A Matter of Trust" playing Derek Sampson, a drug dealer turned metahuman
In DC Comics' DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with both ''mutant'' and '' mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and '' posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In DC Comics, the ...
with the inability to feel pain (Sampson's drug of choice was named Stardust in homage to Rhodes' WWE persona). Rhodes reprised the role on episode 21 of the fifth season of ''Arrow''. In July 2018, Cody announced that his character would be back for a couple of episodes in Season 7 as well.
Rhodes has appeared in ten video games: he made his video game debut in '' WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009'' and has since appeared in '' WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010'', '' WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011'', '' WWE '12'', '' WWE '13'', '' WWE 2K14'' and ''WWE 2K15
''WWE 2K15'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to ''WWE 2K14'', and was succeeded by ''WWE 2K16''. ...
'' as Cody Rhodes, as well as '' WWE All Stars'', as DLC, and in '' WWE 2K16'' and '' WWE 2K17'' under his Stardust gimmick.
Personal life
Rhodes is of partial Cuban descent through his maternal grandfather. His father was WWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which honors professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. Originally known as the "WWF Hall of Fame", it was created in 1993 when André the Giant was posthumously ...
r "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes and his half-brother is Dustin Runnels, who is better known by his ring names Goldust and Dustin Rhodes. On March 31, 2007, Cody and Dustin inducted their father into the WWE Hall of Fame. He also has two sisters, Teil Gergel and Kristin Ditto, who is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. He is the nephew of former professional wrestlers Jerry Sags and Fred Ottman, as well as the godson of Magnum T. A.
In September 2013, Rhodes married fellow professional wrestler Brandi Reed. The couple have one child together.
Rhodes is a fan of ''The Legend of Zelda
''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-releas ...
'' video game series, incorporates its style in his wrestling gear and has stated he replays ''A Link to the Past
''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'' is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the third game in ''The Legend of Zelda'' series and was released in 1991 in Japan and ...
'' yearly. Rhodes is also a comic book fan and has worn wrestling gear inspired by Archangel
Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other re ...
and Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont, the character was first mentioned as the employer behind the team of assassins known as the Marau ...
, characters from X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to ...
. He has cited Omega Red
Omega Red is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. In 2009, Omega Red was ranked as IGN's 95th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
Publication histor ...
and Cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
as his favorite fictional characters along with the Inhumans
The Inhumans are a fictional superhuman race of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family, and many peopl ...
and he personally owns a game cabinet of the 1992 ''X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to ...
'' arcade game.
Filmography
Championships and accomplishments
Amateur wrestling
* Georgia State Tournament
** Champion at weight class (2003, 2004)
Professional wrestling
* All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
** AEW TNT Championship ( 3 times, inaugural)
** AEW TNT Championship Tournament (2020)
** AEW Dynamite Award
The AEW Awards, also known as the AEW Dynamite Awards, are annual awards presented by All Elite Wrestling (AEW) to its professional wrestlers recognizing their accomplishments, along with the best and most viral moments from the preceding year. ...
for Best Moment on the Mic (2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
) –
* Alpha-1 Wrestling
** A1 Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ethan Page
Julian Micevski (born September 20, 1989), better known by his ring name Ethan Page, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The Firm.
Page is best known for his work in Impact ...
* Bullet Proof Wrestling
** BPW Championship (1 time)
* CBS Sports
CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street (Manhattan), 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS ...
** Promo of the Year (2019) –
** Smack Talker of the Year (2019)
* ESPY Award
An ESPY Award (short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) is an accolade currently presented by the American broadcast television network ABC, and previously ESPN (as of the 2017 ESPY Awards the latter still airs them in the form ...
** Best WWE Moment (2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeyp ...
) –
* Global Force Wrestling
** GFW NEX*GEN Championship ( 1 time)
* National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA began as a governing body for a ...
** NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is a world heavyweight professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professional wrestling promotion. The current champion is Tyrus, who is ...
( 1 time)
* New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority share ...
** IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship ( 1 time)
* Northeast Wrestling
Northeast Wrestling (NEW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeastern United States and has promoted events since 1996. It is currently owned and operated by promoter Mike Lombardi and is one of the top indepen ...
** NEW Heavyweight Championship ( 1 time)
* Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former developmental promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow and Matt Jones and Louisville mayor elect, Craig Greenberg.
...
** OVW Heavyweight Championship
The OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) promotion. The original championship was designed and created in 1997 by Reggie Parks. The title was introduced on A ...
( 1 time)
** OVW Television Championship ( 1 time)
** OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outsid ...
) – with Shawn Spears
Ronnie William Arneill (born February 19, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Shawn Spears, where he is a current member of The Pinnacle ...
** Fourth OVW Triple Crown Champion
* ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
''
** Match of the Year (2019) –
** Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (2008)
** Ranked No. 6 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publis ...
'' in 2022
* Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was s ...
** ROH World Championship
The ROH World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Ring of Honor (ROH). It is considered the most prestigious title in the promotion. The current champion is Claudio Castagnoli, who is in his second ...
( 1 time)[
** ]ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
The ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion. Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won as a result of a match with a predetermined outcome. ...
( 1 time) – with The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks are an American professional wrestling tag team and promoters, consisting of brothers Matthew and Nicholas Massie, who are known by their ring names Matt and Nick Jackson, respectively. They are signed to All Elite Wrestling (A ...
** ROH Year-End Award (2 times)
*** Wrestler of the Year (2017)
*** Feud of the Year (2018) –
* ''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twice ...
''
** Wrestler of the Year (2018)
* What Culture Pro Wrestling
** WCPW Internet Championship (1 time)
* World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE
** WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, currently defended on the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two secondary championships for WWE's main r ...
(2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outsid ...
)
** WWE Tag Team Championship ( 3 times) – with Drew McIntyre
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE ...
(1) and Goldust (2)
** World Tag Team Championship
The world tag team championship is the name usually given to the primary tag team championships in professional wrestling promotions.
Nomenclature
The name of the promotion is often preceded to the term "world tag team championship" as the c ...
( 3 times) – with Hardcore Holly
Robert William Howard (born January 29, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and former auto racer and wrestling trainer/ host, better known by the ring name Hardcore Holly or Bob Holly. He is best known for his 16-year career wit ...
(1) and Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE working in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship ...
(2)
** WWE Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contender's Tournament (2012) – with Damien Sandow
** Slammy Award (2 times)
*** Outstanding Achievement of Baby Oil Application (2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
)
*** Tag Team of the Year (2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
) –
* ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four W ...
''
** Worst Gimmick (2015)
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhodes, Cody
1985 births
Living people
21st-century American male actors
21st-century professional wrestlers
AEW TNT Champions
All Elite Wrestling executives
American color commentators
American male professional wrestlers
American male sport wrestlers
American male television actors
American sportspeople of Cuban descent
Bullet Club members
Expatriate professional wrestlers in Japan
IWGP United States Champions
Male actors from Atlanta
Male actors from Charlotte, North Carolina
Masked wrestlers
NWA World Heavyweight Champions
OVW Heavyweight Champions
Participants in American reality television series
Professional wrestlers from Georgia (U.S. state)
Professional wrestlers from North Carolina
Professional wrestling trainers
ROH World Champions
ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions
Sportspeople from Marietta, Georgia
WWF/WWE Intercontinental Champions