Tag: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes Reveals His Next WWE Contract Could Be His Last

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has dropped a major revelation about his future in pro wrestling. Appearing on the All The Smoke podcast, “The American Nightmare” admitted that the next contract he signs with WWE will most likely be his final one.

At 40 years old, Cody says his priorities are shifting — and family comes first. Drawing inspiration from his late father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, Cody explained that he wants to follow in Dusty’s footsteps by stepping away from the ring while still young enough to enjoy life with his children.

“My dad was around a lot when I was growing up,” Cody shared. “That made a huge difference for me. Now that I’m a parent, I want to give that same experience to my kids.”

Rhodes admitted that juggling WWE’s demanding travel schedule with being a full-time husband and father hasn’t been easy. While his passion for wrestling remains strong, he knows that someday soon, it will be time to close this chapter and fully embrace family life.

Cody’s revelation adds an emotional layer to his ongoing title reign — one that fans will surely cherish even more knowing this could be his final run. For now, the Undisputed WWE Champion remains at the top of his game, but when he eventually walks away, it’ll be on his terms — just like a true Rhodes would.

Cody Rhodes & Brandi Rhodes Announce The Birth Of Second Child

Cody Rhodes & Brandi Rhodes Announce The Birth Of Second Child

The Rhodes family just got a little bigger. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and his wife Brandi have announced the arrival of their second child, sharing the happy news with fans on social media.

The couple, who became first-time parents in 2021 with the birth of their daughter Liberty, are now celebrating the arrival of another baby girl. Born on August 29, 2025, the newest addition to the family has been named Leilani Ella Runnels.

Brandi shared the announcement on Twitter, posting a photo of herself holding her newborn’s tiny hand alongside a heartfelt message:

“Welcome to the world Leilani Ella Runnels. We are in love. Thank you God for answered prayers. Cody + Brandi + Libby + Lani = ❤️”

For Cody, this marks an especially meaningful time in his life, balancing the top spot in WWE with the joys of fatherhood. Fans and fellow wrestlers have already begun flooding the couple’s timelines with congratulatory messages, celebrating not only his championship reign but also the family milestone.

John Cena Officially Turns Face on SmackDown, Embraces Classic Persona Ahead of SummerSlam Showdown with Cody Rhodes

The leader of the Cenation is back — and not just physically. On the August 1st edition of WWE SmackDown in Newark, New Jersey, John Cena completed a full-circle return to his roots, shedding his brief heel persona in emotional and dramatic fashion just days before his highly anticipated SummerSlam street fight against Cody Rhodes.

The Undisputed WWE Champion opened the show, but before he could utter a word, Cody Rhodes’ music hit, signaling yet another high-tension moment in their ongoing feud. What followed, however, wasn’t a typical verbal brawl — it was a moment of reflection, humility, and redemption from Cena.

Referencing their chaotic contract signing last week — which saw Rhodes put Cena through a table and forcibly sign the match contract — Cena shocked the crowd by thanking Rhodes instead of retaliating. According to Cena, that act of aggression was the wake-up call he didn’t know he needed.

“I told Cody I was exhausted… that the match was going to be too much,” Cena said. “But he didn’t listen. He made me face it. And for that, I thank him.”

Cena didn’t hold back in admitting that he had lost his way over the last several months. Alluding to his controversial heel run, he confessed to having bought into the idea of “making shocking TV” and losing touch with the performer — and person — he truly is.

“I didn’t want to ruin wrestling. Everyone knows how much I love this,” Cena told the live crowd. “I was so hung up on what people might think tomorrow, I forgot how stupid I looked today.”

In a heartfelt declaration, Cena told fans to mark their calendars: August 1, 2025 — the night John Cena “came back” to WWE, not just as a competitor, but as the hero fans grew up cheering for.

Rhodes, ever the showman with a flair for theatrics, responded by grabbing two beers from ringside and welcoming Cena back. The two shared a brief toast in the ring, blending camaraderie with intensity as the Newark crowd roared in approval.

With emotions running high and the stage set, all eyes now turn to SummerSlam, where Cena and Rhodes will settle their differences in a brutal street fight. One thing is clear: the John Cena walking into this match isn’t the jaded champion we’ve seen in recent months — it’s the fired-up icon who thrives on hustle, loyalty, and respect.

SummerSlam just got a whole lot more personal.

The Rock Makes a Chilling Offer to Cody Rhodes on WWE SmackDown

The Rock may have arrived on SmackDown to announce WrestleMania 42 for New Orleans, but by the time he left, he had dropped a far more personal bombshell on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. In a dramatic in-ring segment, The Rock first extended his hand in friendship—before revealing a much darker intention.

“I Want Your Soul”

Earlier in the night, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis hinted that The Final Boss wanted a word with Rhodes, setting the stage for a tense confrontation. When The Rock finally addressed the WWE Champion, he reflected on their complicated history—how their paths clashed heading into WrestleMania 40, how their families had since grown close, and how much respect he had for Rhodes. At first, his words seemed almost benevolent.

“I want you to be my champion,” The Rock told Rhodes, promising to help him achieve all his dreams and even calling him his “brother.”

But the vibe quickly shifted. The Rock reminded Rhodes that last year, he had planned to main-event WrestleMania 40 against Roman Reigns—until Rhodes got in the way and even slapped him. That, Rock admitted, was why Cody was special. And now, he had an offer: Rhodes had until Elimination Chamber on March 1 to make a decision.

Rhodes, sensing where this was heading, asked if The Rock wanted a shot at his WWE Championship. But The Great One made his true intentions clear.

“No… I don’t want your title. I want your soul.”

The chilling declaration left the crowd stunned, as the WWE Universe tried to piece together exactly what The Rock meant by his ominous words.

The Rock’s Power Play

Beyond his challenge to Rhodes, The Rock also reminded everyone of his growing influence behind the scenes. He brought up his position on TKO Group Holdings’ board of directors—the parent company of WWE—and even joked that Ari Emanuel himself said The Rock practically owned the company.

That statement alone could have major implications. With The Rock’s power in both the corporate and creative side of WWE, is this a sign that he’s setting the stage for something bigger than just a match?

What’s Next for Cody Rhodes?

Now, the ball is in Cody Rhodes’ court. With Elimination Chamber just around the corner, what exactly does The Rock’s challenge mean? Is this leading to a match, an alliance, or something even more sinister?

One thing’s for sure—when The Final Boss makes a move, the entire landscape of WWE changes.

Stay locked on WrestlingNewsBlog.com for all the latest updates as this massive story unfolds!

Kevin Owens Shocks WWE Universe: Piledriver on Cody Rhodes and Chaos with Triple H Over Winged Eagle Title

The aftermath of Saturday Night’s Main Event turned chaotic when Kevin Owens not only left Cody Rhodes battered after a brutal piledriver but also attempted to steal the iconic Winged Eagle Championship.

In the show’s main event, Rhodes successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Championship against Owens in a hard-fought battle. Post-match, as Rhodes celebrated in the ring with the Winged Eagle title—a belt he’s long spoken about as a symbol of his championship dreams—Owens struck with a ruthless attack. The shocking piledriver left the champion needing to be stretchered out of the arena, leaving the WWE Universe stunned.

But Owens wasn’t done. Seizing the historic title, Owens marched up the ramp, seemingly intent on taking the belt with him. However, his path was blocked by none other than WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque. Video posted to X (formerly Twitter) captured the heated confrontation as Triple H intercepted Owens at the stage. The two men exchanged words before the confrontation escalated, with Triple H knocking the championship out of Owens’ hands and shoving him multiple times. Officials quickly intervened to separate the two as tensions flared. WWE later posted its own video to X.

According to PWInsider, Triple H recovered the Winged Eagle title and ensured it was safeguarded after Owens was escorted to the back. WWE later shared its own video of the incident on social media, sparking widespread speculation about what’s next for Kevin Owens and his apparent fixation on the historic championship.

Cody Rhodes has been vocal for years about his love for the Winged Eagle design, which holds sentimental value to him as a callback to a classic era of WWE champions. While Rhodes got to fulfill his dream of wearing the title for one night, Owens’ actions cast a dark shadow over his victory celebration.

The fallout from Owens’ attack and his confrontation with Triple H promises to be explosive. Is this the beginning of a bitter rivalry between Kevin Owens and WWE management? And what consequences await Owens for his actions? Stay tuned, as this story is far from over.

Fan Footage Captures Kevin Owens Attacking Cody Rhodes By His Bus After WWE Bad Blood,

Kevin Owens was seen attacking Cody Rhodes in the parking lot following WWE Bad Blood. The pair have stood shoulder-to-shoulder for months now, aligned in their battle against both Roman Reigns’ and Solo Sikoa’s versions of The Bloodline, but they also stood against one another at August’s Bash In Berlin event with the WWE Championship on the line, with a belief that Owens might turn on Rhodes it came as a surprise to see them embrace to close that night. 

But it appears that their relationship was finally tested beyond its limits by Rhodes team-up with Reigns at Bad Blood on Saturday, following on from KO giving his friend the cold shoulder on recent weeks of “WWE SmackDown.” Footage captured and shared by fans in Atlanta saw the “Prizefighter” arguing with Rhodes beside his bus, then eventually punching him before delivering stomps and more punches to a grounded Rhodes. Owens also managed to throw a garbage can in Rhodes’ direction before he was run off by security. It’s unknown when and how WWE will air the segment officially, but the angle was presumably being shot for next week’s TV. WWE CCO Paul Levesque sold the encounter during the post-show press conference, intimating that Rhodes was supposed to attend the presser but was unavailable.

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Rhodes and Reigns teamed up for the first time ever to take on Sikoa and Jacob Fatu representing The Bloodline, with Reigns securing the win via pinfall following a familial assist. Jimmy Uso made his return for the first time since April, distracting Sikoa for Reigns to score the win. Uso and Reigns embraced following the match, going on to make the save for Rhodes when he was jumped by The Bloodline after the match. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also made a cameo to close the segment, teasing a future feud with Rhodes and/or Reigns down the line. 

UPDATE

Paul “Triple H” Levesque Addresses Brawl Between Cody Rhodes And Kevin Owens After WWE Bad Blood

Levesque, on X, said that he and WWE management are aware of the incident and stated that they will deal with it.

“We are aware of the incident outside of the arena last night between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. The matter will be dealt with internally,” said Levesque.

WWE has yet to acknowledge the incident on its social media or YouTube channel, adding to the intrigue surrounding the clash between the two.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Musician Files Lawsuit Against Cody Rhodes, WWE & Fanatics

Musician Wesley Eisold, vocalist of the band American Nightmare, has filed a lawsuit against Cody Rhodes, WWE, and Fanatics. The lawsuit, filed on September 4, alleges that the defendants have broken terms that Rhodes previously agreed to regarding merchandise that used the “American Nightmare” phrase. Eisold has accused the defendants of breach of contract, inducing breach of contract, and intentional interference with contractual relations.

According to court documents, Eisold filed a trademark for “American Nightmare” in November 2016, relating specifically to music and clothing. Rhodes, whose legal name is Cody Runnels, did not file a trademark on the term until more than two years later. In 2021, Runnels and AEW came to an agreement with Eisold, in which Runnels paid the musician $30,000 and in return was able to continue using “The American Nightmare” moniker under certain conditions.

One of those conditions was that “Cody Rhodes” must be featured on any shirt that uses “American Nightmare,” and the Rhodes name must be 75% larger. The lawsuit alleges that Rhodes’ merchandise with WWE and Fanatics has not adhered to the agreement, with photo evidence showing shirts featuring “The American Nightmare” text and logo without Rhodes’ name. What will likely be determined in court is whether or not that agreement can be enforced after Rhodes left AEW in favor of WWE.

Additional Details On Wesley Eisold’s Trademark Infringement Lawsuit

In the lawsuit’s preliminary statement, Eisold’s lawyers claim that there is “widespread confusion” regarding WWE fans contacting Eisold, asking the musician if he has any association with Rhodes. Additionally, it is alleged that fans of American Nightmare — the band — often find themselves accidentally buying Rhodes’ WWE merchandise.

Despite allegedly being contacted by Eisold’s representatives, WWE and Fanatics are accused of ignoring notices regarding the trademark infringement. Eisold is now asking for a jury trial in the matter, as well as up to $900,000 in damages across all five counts.

There is some level of irony to the lawsuit, as the band American Nightmare was actually forced to change their name in the early 2000s under the threat of a lawsuit from another band with the same name. The hardcore punk band changed their name to Give Up The Ghost and broke up several years later before eventually reuniting under the American Nightmare name. The band continues to play on a part-time basis while Eisold dedicates much of his time to the synth wave project Cold Cave.

Eisold has evidently been contacted online by a number of WWE fans since the news about the lawsuit became public. The vocalist addressed wrestling fans in a post on social media platform X last night, defending his decision to file the lawsuit.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Champ Cody Rhodes Receives Father Dusty’s Robe In Emotional Moment At Tokyo Event

WWE are currently in Japan treating their fans to two nights of live wrestling at the legendary Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo for the company’s first tour of the country in five years. The live events have already presented a whole host of memorable moments, including Meiko Satomura announcing her intentions to beat Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship after news of her pending retirement hit the headlines, and one wholesome moment saw Cody Rhodes presented with a very special gift. After successfully defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against AJ Styles in the main event of the first night of action, Rhodes was presented with a special robe and hat worn by his father, the late Dusty Rhodes.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1816913760277434383

Rhodes would put on the jacket and hat before strutting around the ring in the same way his father did in his prime. He would then do the traditional bow as a sign of respect to the Japanese culture and bid farewell to the Tokyo crowd, thanking them for being so welcoming.

Despite being widely known as “The American Dream” during his career, Dusty was highly respected in Japan as he performed in the country a number of times, with the first notable tour he went on taking place in 1975 with AJPW when the company was affiliated with the NWA. Rhodes would later go on to tour with NJPW during the 1980s, even competing in the MSG Series tournament, the competition that acted as the spiritual predecessor to the G1 Climax. “The American Dream’s” final appearances in Japan took place in 2004, when he was part of a ZERO-ONE event, as well the first three HUSTLE pay-per-views, where he also got to team with his friend Steve Corino, and son Dustin Rhodes, who went by the name Dusty Rhodes Jr. in HUSTLE.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Rock Promises To Come Back To WWE For Cody Rhodes: ‘Our Story Has Just Begun’

New Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes may have finished his story with Roman Reigns, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confirmed their story is just beginning after he pinned Rhodes in the main event of Night 1. On the “WWE Raw” after WrestleMania 40, a traditionally rowdy show when it comes to the crowd, The Rock interrupted the new champion to not only give him his flowers, but give him a mysterious object, saying Rhodes wouldn’t even have to open his hand to know what it was.

Rhodes was introduced by Paul “Triple H” Levesque to open the show, and a video package recapping his victory was played. Rhodes began to address the crowd before The Rock’s music hit. The men waited in the ring as the crowd chanted various things at “The Great One.” The Rock told Rhodes that his father in heaven had a “big smile” on his face when Rhodes captured the championship, and asked if he could hold the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The men traded belts for a moment, as Rock was still carrying the belt given to him by Muhammad Ali’s widow at the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.

The Rock then said he “has to go away for a little while,” but when he comes back, whether Rhodes is champion or not, he’s coming for him. He said Rhodes’ story with Reigns may be over, but “our story has just begun.” Rhodes replied that while The Rock is his actual boss since he’s on the TKO board, Rhodes is the champion — and he’s The Rock’s champion. That’s when The Rock gave Rhodes something small that fit in his hand before “riding off into the sunset.” As of this writing it’s unclear when he plans to return.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Star Cody Rhodes Says His Tour Bus Caught Fire

In two days, Cody Rhodes will once again challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in the main event of WrestleMania. Before he steps onto WWE’s grandest stage, though, Rhodes has revealed some rather scary news.

As announced on X (formerly Twitter), Rhodes’ tour bus, which is currently sponsored by Wheatley American Vodka, unexpectedly caught on fire Thursday evening. Luckily, with the help of the Philadelphia Fire Department, all occupants were safely evacuated. Rhodes was even able to snag two undisclosed items out of his bus as well. 

“Before you hear it elsewhere – my tour bus caught fire last night,” Rhodes wrote. “Everybody is safe and okay. The 2 items I grabbed before I got off will probably pop wrestling fans. Again, thank you @PhillyFireDept.”

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With his tour bus fire successfully extinguished, Rhodes will now pivot his focus back to the uphill battle that awaits him. 24 hours before facing Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, Rhodes will team up with Seth Rollins to take on the pair of Reigns and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the main event of night one of WrestleMania 40. Should Rhodes and Rollins secure the win, The Bloodline members will be barred from night two’s title match. However, if Reigns and The Rock emerge victorious, night two’s title match will be contested under Bloodline Rules, where interference from The Bloodline isn’t just encouraged, but guaranteed.

WWE’s WrestleMania 40 premium live event will emanate from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with night one taking place on April 6, and night two on April 7.

Source: Wrestling Inc.