Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has finished his story, but now the American Nightmare has a new mission in his sights.
Rhodes’ emotional WrestleMania 40 victory over Roman Reigns marked the end of a two-year odyssey for Rhodes to capture a World Championship in WWE. The match also marked the end of Roman Reigns’ 1,316-day reign as champion and the Tribal Chief hasn’t appeared for WWE since then. He’s reached the peak of WWE, but now he has a new story to tell.
Cody Rhodes appeared on the Cheap Heat podcast this week and told hosts Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg that he hopes to shatter the records of Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, John Cena and Roman Reigns to be the company’s undisputed box office king.
“I would like to be the most profitable talent that WWE has ever had. And I know who hangs in that group. You know, your Austin 316s, your Hustle Loyalty, Respect, your John Cena’s. I know what I have been doing, and I know the link that I have to keep doing this for this goal to become a reality.
So that one, it’s a little inside baseball, and it’s not all that glamorous, but I really, even today, feel a sense of I would like to give WWE everything I possibly have.”
Given WWE’s track-record of producing highly-popular Superstars, this goal is a tall order for the American Nightmare. Despite this, Rhodes remains determined for his name to be considered alongside these all-time greats.
“I think sometimes you get into the GOAT conversations, like basketball is the greatest GOAT conversation ever when people go back on LeBron and Michael, whatever it may be. I think one of the things that’s most important in any sport, in any form of entertainment, is today we’ve got all these, we’re fans, right?”
Ultimately, Rhodes’ quest to be the most profitable WWE Superstar in history will also mean a rematch of a different kind with Roman Reigns, one Rhodes is excited for.
“If Roman Reigns was the greatest thing WWE had seen up to this point, I want to completely eclipse him. And I mean that with the utmost respect.”
Nobody can accuse Cody Rhodes of dreaming too small and with his popularity worldwide, the American Nightmare is certainly making ground in this lofty task. Whether Rhodes indeed becomes the most profitable Superstar ever remains to be seen, but the Undisputed WWE Champion is off to a strong start.
As WWE continues to do record business, Cody Rhodes is leading the charge as one of the company’s top merchandise movers.
