Cody Rhodes lost the match against Randy Orton in WWE’s Sunday Night’s Main Event (Image via WWE)
How Cody Rhodes returned to WWE and won gold
Rhodes didn’t take his WWE exit in 2016 as the end of his wrestling career. Rhodes made his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022 as the surprise opponent for Seth Rollins. Upon his return, he accomplished yet another monumental feat, winning the Royal Rumble in both 2023 and 2024. In April 2024 at WrestleMania XL, Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, finally completing the journey that is often referred to as finishing his story.
The victories only strengthened his case as a top contender and kept the story going of his quest to win the championship that his father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, never won. Cody Rhodes’ ascent to the top of WWE was driven by a choice to leave the company when his character and creative direction no longer aligned with his goals. Instead, he used the independent wrestling circuit to find new opportunities, new opponents and to create a stronger identity. His return instantly made him a huge draw, and his subsequent feud with Rollins led to a grueling Hell in a Cell match where Rhodes wrestled with a torn pectoral muscle. This win was more than a championship. It was the career-defining moment that tied together his early frustrations, his independent success, his time in AEW and his WWE comeback. Rhodes’ career is a case study in how leaving an established promotion can create opportunities for reinvention. His own run helped him forge a unique identity; he was obviously good at promoting in All In, and AEW increased his influence in the industry. Such experiences would ultimately lead him back to WWE and his championship success, a notable career rebuild in professional wrestling.