After WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, WWE may have put a cap on the ECW legacy, but that fire did continue to burn on SmackDown.

The show took place in Wilkes-Barre, PA, not too far off from Philadelphia and an ECW original made the trip with his family to see the show live in-person.

ECW’s ultimate underdog Mikey Whipwreck sat at ringside for the event and the former ECW TV Champion was honored by several WWE Superstars while there. Jey Uso actually gave Whipwreck’s son his glasses and after the event, Mikey took to social media to thank WWE, Cody Rhodes and Uso for the one-of-a-kind experience.

“My kids had a great time last night at SmackDown. Thank you for everything Cody Rhodes. And a special shoutout to Jey for giving my son his sunglasses. He said it was the greatest day of his life.”

My kids had a great time last night at #SmackDown. Thank you for everything @CodyRhodes. And a special shoutout to Jey for giving my son his sunglasses @WWEUsos. He said it was the greatest day of his life. @WWE pic.twitter.com/yCLWhFb0Ay

— ?Mikey Whipwreck? (@MikeyWhipwreck_) May 11, 2024

• Blue Meanie Gets An ECW-Themed Tattoo

With the induction of Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall Of Fame this year, Dave Meltzer reported that the moment signified WWE “spiritually closing the book” on ECW, but a talent like Mikey Whipwreck was certainly not forgotten.

SmackDown was jam-packed with action as WWE started the first round of the King and Queen of The Ring tournament. Randy Orton advanced against AJ Styles, Jade Cargill defeated Piper Niven, Tama Tonga defeated Angelo Dawkins, Bianca Belair took out Candice LeRae and Carmelo Hayes up-ended Baron Corbin.

From a storyline perspective, Solo Sikoa claimed to Paul Heyman that Roman Reigns has bestowed the interim Tribal Chief role unto him. However, the big takeaway from the episode was that WWE booked Cody Rhodes to take on Logan Paul in the headline match at Saudi Arabia later this month.

Logan Paul already has the WWE United States Championship around his shoulder, but he is after another title for the other side. The Maverick is now set to take on Cody Rhodes at King and Queen of the Ring on May 25.

WWE SmackDown kicked off this week with Nick Aldis introducing Rhodes. The American Nightmare made his way to the ring to a thunderous reception, and then the SmackDown GM got right down to business.

Aldis congratulated Rhodes for beating AJ Styles at Backlash, but then he said that his next challenger has already been determined. This is when Logan Paul’s music hit, much to the chagrin of fans in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena.

Logan and Cody had a back-and-forth on the microphone, one where the YouTuber turned Superstar said that winning the Undisputed WWE Title from Rhodes will help usher in the “Logan Paul Levesque Era.”

After securing the WWE United States Title at WWE Crown Jewel last year, Logan Paul has become the longest-reigning champion in WWE history. With his title reign reaching 188 days and still ongoing, Paul was sure to mention this milestone during his segment with Cody Rhodes.

Then Cody Rhodes brought up the fact that if he won the WWE U.S. Title, that would make him a WWE Grand Slam Champion. He then said that Logan is self-centered, but WWE is a team, and at King and Queen of the Ring, The Maverick will learn where he stands with that team.

Look who it is! ??@CodyRhodes newest challenger United States Champion @LoganPaul is here! pic.twitter.com/QDbb6lODLe

— WWE (@WWE) May 11, 2024

Two Belts

Cody Rhodes later tweeted out to simply say: “Two belts.” It seems that he has his eye on Paul’s title as well. This may be a winner take all match if they confirm the stipulation. 

2 belts

— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) May 11, 2024

WWE King & Queen of the Ring 2024

The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are set to return in 2024, marking the first occurrence since 2021. Matches for the tournament are ongoing, and SEScoops will provide in-depth coverage.

Xavier Woods and Zelina Vega are the current reigning King and Queen of the Ring.

The finals for the 2024 tournaments will be held at a live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 25. The stage for this event was prominently established on SmackDown.

WWE King & Queen of the Ring Card:

• King of the Ring Tournament Final
  • Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
• Queen of the Ring Tournament Final
  • Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
• Women’s World Championship Match
  • Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
  • Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed
• Undisputed WWE Championship Match
  • Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Logan Paul 

The Rock will have a huge role to play at WWE WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, with reported plans for a showdown with a familiar foe. 

The Brahma Bull made his in-ring return at this year’s WrestleMania which saw the Final Boss victorious in a tag-team match during the Saturday show. The Rock didn’t have the same success the following night, as after a chokeslam by The Undertaker took out the Hollywood star, Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns to become Undisputed WWE Championship. 

With WrestleMania 40 in the background, fans have been left wondering when they’ll next see the Brahma Bull compete. Though he could wrestle earlier than WrestleMania 41, the plan for the April 2025 event is for Rock to face Rhodes, Dave Meltzer reports. It’s unclear at this time if this will be for the Undisputed WWE Championship. 

The Rock facing off with Rhodes is hardly a surprise given what both men have said in 2024. During WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 event, Rhodes dared The Rock to go one-on-one and said he’d be ready anytime. Following Cody’s emotional victory in Philadelphia, The Rock confronted Rhodes on the post-WrestleMania Raw, and vowed to return and come for the American Nightmare. 

With Rock-Rhodes the plan (for the time being) for WrestleMania 41, fans will be left wondering when the long-awaited showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns will take place. At one point in time, the match was a ‘lock’ for WrestleMania 39 before plans changed. WWE had teased a showdown between the two at this year’s event before the might of the ‘We Want Cody’ movement changed those plans. 

The Rock “Headstrong” On Making Roman Reigns WrestleMania Match Happen 

WrestleMania 41

WWE WrestleMania 41 will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19 & April 20, the latest in a calendar year for a WrestleMania to take place. After much speculation, and reports that Minneapolis would host the event instead, the show’s date and location was confirmed during the recent Kentucky Derby. 

WWE Backlash had a wild crowd courtesy of Lyon, France, but it also marked the end of an unbelievable streak with the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship.

Cody Rhodes put that very championship on the line against AJ Styles on Saturday and the battle became memorable in more ways than one. Not only did ‘The American Nightmare’ get a tremendous pop from the French crowd, but Rhodes actually retained his title by defeating ‘The Phenomenal One.’

However, Punk from the Burial Squad was able to dig up an insane statistic about Rhodes’ successful title defense. Backlash happened to mark the first time that specific championship was successfully defended on television without any outside interference in almost two years. The last time the title was defended without any interference had Roman Reigns beating Matt Riddle on the June 17, 2022 episode of WWE SmackDown.

Reigns’ reign became notorious for having constant interference in his title fights. While the tactic was certainly frustrating for fans (and his opponents), it did create for some memorable moments. Solo Sikoa made his main roster debut by interfering in his cousin Roman’s defense against Drew McIntyre at Clash At The Castle. Jimmy Uso also happened to stab his brother Jey in the back at WWE SummerSlam, allowing Roman to retain his gold.

Rhodes vs. Styles at Backlash also marked a new moment in WWE history. Their main event fight also happened to be the first WWE Undisputed Title match on PLE that was officiated by a female. Jessika Carr donned the zebra stripes for the battle between Cody and AJ.

Cody Rhodes isn’t just excited for himself as he defends his WWE Undisputed Title at WWE Backlash, but another person standing in the ring.

Rhodes will be taking on AJ Styles in the main event of the PLE taking place in France on Saturday. It will be Cody’s first world title defense on PLE, but ‘The American Nightmare’ noted someone else has a reason to celebrate too: WWE referee Jessika Carr.

“Wanted to mention this after the contract signing, (and forgive me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am…) It’ll also be the VERY FIRST PLE Main Event for The Undisputed WWE Title officiated by a woman [Jessika Carr].”

Wanted to mention this after the contract signing, (and forgive me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am…)

It’ll also be the VERY FIRST PLE Main Event for The Undisputed @WWE Title officiated by a woman @WWELadyRefJess https://t.co/g26bva41sR

— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) May 4, 2024

Two Georgia Boys: Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles At WWE Backlash

The Rhodes vs. Styles rivarly is a surprisingly fresh one as Cody and AJ have never faced one another, but now the two Georgia boys do it on the big stage. Styles earned his shot at the gold when he defeated LA Knight in a number one contendership match.

The two exchanged words of respect for one another during their contract signing but matters got tense when Styles went for a “from behind” attack on Rhodes after Cody defeated Carmelo Hayes.

The go-home episode of SmackDown that tension was even amped up further when Styles slapped Rhodes after the two talked their history outside of the WWE.

Rhodes and Styles happened to both share time as members of The Bullet Club, so although the two never competed in the ring, their paths are indeed quite similar.  

Austin Theory is already chalking out massive plans for WrestleMania 41. He has not only put The Rock on notice for ‘The Show of Shows’ but also wants to dethrone the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

Last year, during the September 15 edition of SmackDown, The Rock made his surprise one-off return and things didn’t turn out too well for Theory.

Theory told Lucas Charpiot of Ten Count Media that he believes The Rock interrupted him to be important and famous again. He said that he got better of The Rock but the wrestling legend attacked him as he felt “insecure.” 

“Dwayne showed up, but not to save Pat McAfee. Dwayne showed up because he wanted to be famous again, he wanted to be important in WWE. So who did he interrupt? Austin Theory. Then what happened? I put him in his place. Then I did something that nobody has ever done. I stole his catchphrase, and I hit him with it, and I hit him with it before he could hit me with it. So then what? He got insecure, he started freaking out. He started doing the weird Rock stuff. Then he hit me with an elbow. That’s what happened.”

He eventually stated if ‘The Final Boss’ wants to fight him, he is all set to lock horns with him at WrestleMania 41. He said: 

“So what now? ‘The Final Boss’ wants Austin Theory, and Austin Theory will fight ‘The Final Boss’ at WrestleMania 41. Is that what they want?”

Theory takes a jab at Cody Rhodes

He furthermore took a shot at Cody Rhodes and labeled him “goof.” One half of the WWE Tag Team Champions said that he wants to dethrone ‘The American Nightmare.’ He said:

“I just gotta take this title from this goof [points to picture of Cody Rhodes]? Is that it? I just gotta make a story up? That’s it? Alright, then that’s what I’ll do.”

On this week’s SmackDown, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller successfully defended their tag team titles against The Street Profits in their first televised title defense. 

WWE is set to make a major announcement regarding next year’s WrestleMania and many believe the location of the event will be revealed. 

There were once discussions for The Rock to end the historic championship reign of Roman Reigns, only for the Final Boss to give up the gold. 

Reigns’ 1,316-day run as champion was actually ended by Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The emotional main event saw Rhodes finally ‘finish the story’ two years after making an emphatic return to WWE as part of WrestleMania 38. 

WWE had plans at one point for Rock, not Rhodes, to end the title reign of the Tribal Chief at WrestleMania 40, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. This idea was hardly kept a secret, with The Rock teasing challenging the Head of the Table during his return on the Day 1 WWE Raw. On the post-Royal Rumble SmackDown, The Rock came face-to-face with his cousin and teased the match. 

Had it not been for the immense ‘We Want Cody’ movement, the Rock-Reigns match would have gone ahead. The Observer adds that the plan was for The Rock to win the title, only to surrender the gold in order to return to Hollywood. With a new WWE Champion, The Rock would have introduced his own People’s Championship that he’d use for public appearances. Instead, the title was presented to the Final Boss at this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. 

Ending Reigns’ historic run only for the title to be vacated would likely not have gone down well with fans. Instead, the WWE Universe witnessed Cody Rhodes finish his story and defeat Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Reigns hasn’t been seen since WrestleMania while Rock has vowed to return and come for the new Undisputed WWE Champion. 

Cody Rhodes’ story may have finished last year at WrestleMania 39, had Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman been unable to influence those in charge at the time. 

Reigns retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Rhodes in the controversial main event inside Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The decision was panned by fans at the time as the wrong choice with many blaming McMahon (who’d forced his way back into WWE in January) for the call. 

At one time, Rhodes was penciled into dethrone Reigns in SoFi, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. That was until Reigns and Heyman convinced both McMahon and WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque to change the finish and give Reigns the victory. 

This change of plans wasn’t (entirely) done to benefit Reigns and extend his title run for another year. The belief at the time was that keeping the gold on Reigns would be beneficial in getting other talent over, including Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa. Jey certainly benefitted from his championship program with Reigns over the Summer which helped elevate the former Tag Team Champion to his ‘Main Event Jey’ role fans see today. 

Holding off on the title change was also proposed to be in Rhodes’ best interest. The idea was that keeping Cody’s hunt for the gold going for another year would make his title win more special. Sure enough, Rhodes’ emotional victory at WrestleMania 40 has been praised by fans and critics. The new Undisputed WWE Champion’s next title defense will be at WWE Backlash: France against AJ Styles. 

• Roman Reigns Remaining Involved With The Bloodline’s Creative Direction During WWE Hiatus

WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes has only one goal in mind heading into the title defense against AJ Styles at Saturday’s Backlash Premium Live Event.

Rhodes finally finished his story at last month’s WrestleMania 40 when he put an end to Roman Reigns’ historic 1,316-day reign. Now, he has a lot to prove as a champion.  Speaking on Cheat Heat with Peter Rosenberg, ‘The American Nightmare’ made it clear that the upcoming match against AJ Styles is not only a ‘must-win’ for him but he also ‘must dominate.’ He said:

“I told AJ Styles, this is a dream match for some people, sure. To me, it’s a legit must win. Not just must win, but must dominate. Must show something.”

Cody wants to let everyone know that he has a lot in store for the fans. He wants to bring out his full potential and this title run is his opportunity to “validate” it. The 38-year-old champion further stated that he is never content and believes that’s the mindset of successful people. Cody Rhodes said:

“I’d like to let people know there is so much more meat on the bone. There is so much more to me and this run is the chance to validate it.
It’s the mindset of ‘you’re never doing enough. Have to keep going.’ Everyone I know who is successful has that mindset and that’s where I’m at.”

Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles’ first showdown

AJ Styles earned the title shot after defeating LA Knight on April 19 edition of SmackDown. ‘The Phenomenal One’ had been in pursuit of the WWE Undisputed Championship for a long time now. He had been in a feud with Roman Reigns but failed to dethrone ‘The Tribal Chief.’ Now, he has yet another shot at the title.

Rhodes and Styles have had illustrious careers across multiple promotions but they never crossed paths. This match will mark the first time they will go head-to-head in the squared circle. On that note, Styles did face WWE legend and Cody’s father, Dusty Rhodes in TNA Wrestling. Styles successfully defended his NWA World Heavyweight title that night and he’ll hope for a similar outcome this Saturday at WWE Backlash France. However, it won’t be an easy task as Cody Rhodes has some long-term plans as the champion.

Catch WWE Backlash 2024 from LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon Metropolis, France at 1 p.m. ET. The countdown show will air live prior at noon ET. 

WWE was right to avoid turning John Cena heel once he became a top star, according to reigning Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. 

Despite the occasional tease over the years, WWE never pulled the trigger on a John Cena heel turn after he became the top star of the promotion. On a recent edition of the Cheap Heat Productions podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Statguy Greg, Rhodes discussed a potential heel turn for himself and compared his position to that of ‘Big Match John.’

“I think minimally about [the prospect of turning heel.] And I could…you never say never. John [Cena]’s never happened, and I think rightfully so. I think what we got there, we look back at now and realize [it was right not to turn him.]”

Cena never turned heel as a top star, though WWE did once have plans for such a turn. WWE was so committed to the idea that the promotion had a new attire and theme created for the 16-time WWE World Champion before scrapping the idea. 

WWE has struggled in the 21st Century to create babyfaces with Cena and Roman Reigns being heavily booed by fans though WWE did eventually turn Reigns heel. With Rhodes being that rare commodity of a face accepted across all age ranges among fans, WWE would be wise to keep him as a face, but must find the balance between pushing their babyface WWE Champion without over pushing him in a move akin to ‘Super-Cena.’

Rhodes’ next challenge will be against somebody who’s had no problem turning heel in WWE: AJ Styles. The two will face off at WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. 

Italy could soon be host to an episode of WWE TV if the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has anything to say about it. 

Rhodes was part of a recent WWE live event in Bologna, Italy, and defended his title in the show’s main event against Shinsuke Nakamura. Speaking to the crowd after the match, Rhodes teased bringing an episode of Raw or SmackDown to the country. 

“You know we are sold out tonight, this is pretty good showing for Italy. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a RAW, to have a SmackDown?”

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C6cOk_6MNfl

WWE has hosted just one episode of TV in Italy throughout the company’s history, that being the April 16, 2007, episode of Monday Night Raw. The show in Milan is best remembered for the WWE debut of Santino Marella who captured the Intercontinental Championship from Umaga (albeit with a big assist from Bobby Lashley.)

Tama Tonga Makes In-Ring Debut

The WWE live event in Bologna, Italy also marked the in-ring debut of Tama Tonga, who debuted on TV as part of Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline very recently. In the third match of the night, Tonga and Sikoa defeated the team of LA Knight and Randy Orton. Despite getting the win, Tonga still fell victim to an RKO from the Viper after the match. 

@RandyOrton Dropped Tama Tonga With An RKO After The Match At #WWEBologna In Italy.

? : Credit To The Respective Owners pic.twitter.com/weuk2UwD7K

— randyfan4ever (@randyfan4ever_) May 1, 2024

Tonga joined WWE after a nearly-14 year tenure with New Japan Pro Wrestling. This run saw him become a seven-time tag-team champion and four-time NEVER Openweight Champion. It remains to be seen if Tonga will see the same success in WWE but debuting in a high-profile angle like The Bloodline and working with established top stars in his debut certainly bodes well for his future. 

Cody Rhodes has reached new heights after defeating Roman Reigns to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at WrestleMania 40. The year-long story finally ended after Rhodes overcame the odds to end the title reign of ‘The Tribal Chief.’ In the aftermath of his career achievement, Rhodes shared great advice that JBL had given him about being a champion. 

In an interview with Cheap Heat with Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg, Rhodes revealed that JBL spoke to him after his title win at the ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All’ and what it meant to him. 

“He said, try not at this point to focus on any numbers, because you’ve already broken every record that matters. And I thought, oh, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear at the time. It was just from a guy who’s not a soft man, not an easy guy to get to get that type of love. So much love for the Cowboy, former WWE champion himself, John Bradshaw Layfield,” said Rhodes.

Although JBL advised Rhodes not to focus on numbers, the champion is motivated to be WWE’s most profitable superstar. In the same interview, he shared that he aims to surpass other greats like Stone Cold Steve Austin and John Cena. While Rhodes’s new goal is very ambitious, he has to remain focused on his next challenger, AJ Styles. 

Preview Of Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles At WWE Backlash

Rhodes will have his first title defense against Styles at WWE Backlash. The event will occur at the LDLC Arena in Lyon-Décines, France. At this time, Rhodes and Styles are expected to be the main event of the PLE. 

Styles earned his title opportunity after defeating LA Knight on the April 19 episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown. The matchup will also be the first time Rhodes and Styles have competed against each other. 

‘The American Nightmare’ is coming into his first title defense with confidence after dethroning Reigns at WrestleMania 40. However, he can’t take Styles lightly as the challenger will try to push Rhodes to his limit to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. 

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes’s year is off to a great start after defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. He finally earned a victory over ‘The Tribal Chief’ to win the title that eluded his family successfully. What made the win more remarkable was that he overcame many odds, including Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s interference in the match. 

‘The Rock’ became involved in the feud after Rhodes backtracked his offer for Johnson to face Reigns at WrestleMania 40. This led to the Hollywood megastar siding with his ‘The Tribal Chief’ and joining The Bloodline(Reigns, Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso). Rhodes’s issues with Johnson also took a violent turn before ‘The Grandest Stage Of Them All’ when ‘The Final Boss’ savagely assaulted Rhodes to make him bleed.

Despite being disadvantaged, ‘The American Nightmare’ landed his signature Cross Rhodes finisher to best reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. 

Cody Rhodes On His Relationship With Dwayne Johnson 

Rhodes spoke about his victory in a recent interview on the Cheap Heat Podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg. When Rosenberg asked Rhodes about his relationship with ‘The Rock’ before WrestleMania 40, the champion revealed that he didn’t have much of a relationship with Johnson prior to their feud. 

 “…We did some dark match stuff back in the day, but Wrestlemania in Miami, I gone into his locker room to thank him for the house, and that was something that I think he remembered, whereas for me, it was just the right thing to do. We had that previous moment, but other than that, I don’t think Rock respectfully was very familiar with me, said Rhodes. 

The champion shared that he didn’t blame Johnson if he didn’t because the Hollywood megastar has too many important things to focus on. However, Rhodes shared that he enjoyed ‘The Final Boss’ getting to know him during the build toward WrestleMania 40. 

“…I enjoyed him figuring out who I was in real time as moments were happening. For example, coming down the steps with Seth Rollins, with him and Roman in the ring, I think it’s the first time he had ever heard the crowd do the whoa. I think he really took to what was going on,” said Rhodes. 

What’s Next For Cody Rhodes & Dwayne Johnson?

The night after WrestleMania 40, Rhodes and Johnson had an in-ring segment on Monday Night Raw to tease a future matchup. ‘The Final Boss’ warned the champion that he was coming for his title in the future. Rhodes accepted the challenge and claimed he would hold the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship when he returned. 

Rhodes is currently focused on defending his title against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash on May 4. The champion faces a tough matchup, and it will be the first time they will cross paths in the ring. WWE fans will unfortunately be forced to wait a little longer before they can get a dream match between Rhodes and ‘The Great One.’

Roman Reigns is among a select class of talent to have transcended the world of wrestling, at least in WWE, according to his longtime rival Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare dethroned Reigns at WrestleMania to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, ending the 1,316-day reign of the Tribal Chief in the process. Reigns has not been seen on WWE programming since then leaving fans to speculate on what kind of future Reigns has in store in the promotion’s new era. 

Despite their differences, he holds a lot of respect to the man he vanquished in Philadelphia, PA. Cody Rhodes appeared on the Cheap Heat podcast this week and spoke highly of Roman Reigns with hosts Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg.

“If we’re looking at a snapshot of how unbelievable he is, just look at how he showed up to Wrestlemania. Just the end of his run, he was at his absolute peak and absolute best. And I mean that physically. I mean that mentally.

“Just truly very few people get to transcend what we do. Very few people. You can be at the top of it. You can be near the top. But very few people transcend what we do. I think he transcends what we do.”

Rhodes also foresees big things for Reigns out of the ring. Reigns has been filming a new movie with Keke Palmer during his hiatus from WWE. 

“I think you’ll see him pop up in areas that aren’t sports entertainment and aren’t wrestling and with much success because of how hard he works.”

There’s no official word on when Reigns will be back, but the former Champion is being advertised for SummerSlam 2024 in Cleveland this August. Whatever’s next for Reigns, the Tribal Chief will continue to have the respect of Cody Rhodes. 

More on Cody Rhodes:

Here are some recent articles regarding Cody Rhodes as the Undisputed WWE Champion continues to lead WWE’s new era: 

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.

The Undisputed WWE Championship reign of Cody Rhodes will differ greatly from that of his predecessor Roman Reigns, according to The Undertaker. 

Rhodes won the gold and finished his story at WrestleMania 40 and in doing so ended the 1,316-day reign of the Tribal Chief. While Cody has been a regular on WWE Raw and SmackDown since his monumental win in Philadelphia, Reigns has been absent from programming (but has been working on a non-WWE project.)

Cody Rhodes: The Workhorse Champion

Rhodes’ win at WrestleMania did not come without some help and The Undertaker was part of the group of stars who kept The Bloodline at bay. On his Six Feet Under podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer spoke of what Rhodes has to look forward to. 

“He’s going to work a lot because he wants to, too, if that makes sense. So he’s not going to be a champion that… No offense to Roman, but Roman didn’t have a lot of matches as champion.”

The Undertaker made clear that Reigns’ sporadic in-ring schedule was part of his “story” and helped give the Tribal Chief character an air of dominance. With that said, the Phenom is looking forward to seeing plenty of matches from the American Nightmare. 

“I think he’ll be a working champion. I think he’s going to be a workhorse, actually. I think he’s going to defend the title a lot… He’s going to be wanting to walk out there and show people why he’s the world champion.”

What’s to Come? 

When asked about potential opponents for Rhodes, The Undertaker named Seth Rollins and GUNTHER as dream adversaries for the Undisputed WWE Champion. Before that, however, Rhodes will defend against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash: France. The bout will be part of WWE’s first PLE in the country and will take place on May 4.

More on Cody Rhodes

Here are some recent articles about Cody Rhodes as the Undisputed Champion continues to lead WWE in its new era:

Welcome to the Daily Drop for Monday, April 29. We only have one more day until May, and Spring is already heating up in the pro wrestling world.

Before we get going, WWE will hold the second night of the 2024 Draft tonight on RAW. We already saw some big names drafted during SmackDown, and the company will take care of the rest of the roster tonight. How many NXT call-ups will we have? How many free agents will WWE have going around the brands this year? We will have all of those answers tonight after the 2024 WWE Draft is over!

Now, let’s get into today’s Daily Drop!

WWE:

WWE RAW Card for 4/29:

• Night two of the 2024 WWE Draft
• United States Champion Logan Paul appears
• Jey Uso, Andrade & Ricochet vs. Damian Priest, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh

Drew McIntyre’s Injury Status: Although he just signed a new contract with WWE, The Scottish Warrior is still recovering from a hyperextended elbow sustained at WrestleMania 40. The Scottish Warrior has been pulled from shows for now.

Don’t Mail The Big Man: Bronson Reed logged onto Twitter and made it very clear that he does not want fans mailing things directly to his home. It is an invasion of privacy the way he sees things, and he was quite nice about it in his post.

Sending fan mail to my home address is a big NO NO.
I will not respond, and I find it an invasion of privacy.
My home is for my family!
Send fan mail to WWE headquarters or to the PC.

— BIG BRONSON REED (@BRONSONISHERE) April 28, 2024

Cody Rhodes’ Backlash Gear: Cody Rhodes is set to defend his title for the first time at Backlash against AJ Styles. This will be a special event for the American Nightmare, as he defends his title in France. To hype fans up for his big match, he posted a little teaser for his upcoming gear.

CODY RHODES JACKET SNEAK PEAK FOR BACKLASH

????? pic.twitter.com/9pEav0GYQE

— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) April 28, 2024

AEW:

DAZN Drops AEW: In a shocking announcement, This is not a good sign for AEW’s future pay-per-view events. DAZN has officially confirmed that their partnership with AEW has ended, just one year after it was initially announced. The decision to discontinue AEW content came into effect on December 31, 2023, following a series of broadcasts that did not meet expected viewership levels. Only a few events managed to achieve the target numbers, such as All In 2023, the initial weeks of AEW Collision, and certain episodes of AEW programming.

Julia Hart Injured: Julia Hart is sidelined again due to an injury, continuing her recent series of health setbacks. Despite her return to the ring, Hart’s injury flared up before AEW Dynasty, leading her to drop the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale. The specifics of Hart’s injury are still unclear, but initial signs indicate she might need surgery. Hart is not scheduled for upcoming AEW television appearances.

MJF In Sling: The former AEW World Champion reportedly underwent should surgery, and he was recently spotted in a sling. During Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, the Salt of the Earth recorded a dig at Brock Lesnar’s alleged affinity for urine related videos while rocking an arm sling with the fan everyone knows as Brock Lesnar Guy.

MJF makes fun of Brock lesnar

?? pic.twitter.com/fsOHigCUuE

— The Wrestle Plug (@wrestleplug_) April 28, 2024

AEW Collision Viewership: The April 27th edition of AEW Collision brought in an average overnight viewership of 499,000, including 193,000 viewers in the 18 to 49 demographic. This marks an increase from the previous episode, which had 461,000 viewers and a 0.13 rating in the same demographic.

Upcoming PPV’s and PLE’s:

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

• Saturday, May 4: WWE Backlash France (PLE)
• Sunday, May 26: NXT Battleground (PLE)
• Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has thrown his name among the mix of people hoping to see WrestleMania come to the UK capital city. 

Khan, no relation to WWE’s Nick or AEW’s Tony, made his bold claim while on the campaign trail ahead of the mayoral election on May 2. The 54-year-old Labour Party member brought up WWE’s flagship show in a press release when speaking about London’s potential as a sporting juggernaut. 

“I’m determined to go even further and fully cement London’s reputation as the undisputed sports capital of the world. I believe that London has the potential to host the first international WrestleMania.”

Khan’s comment earned a response from WWE Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque who was seemingly interested in discussing the matter further. 

Let’s talk. https://t.co/PoLPS7RGv1

— Triple H (@TripleH) April 25, 2024

Khan is hardly alone in his belief that the UK is deserving of a WrestleMania. At WWE Money in the Bank 2023, John Cena made a surprise appearance in London and shared his mission to bring WrestleMania to the city. 

Following Cena’s comment, Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones shared her support for a London-based WrestleMania and touted the economic benefits of the event.  Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is also on the UK bandwagon. At a recent WWE live event in London, the American Nightmare advocated for WrestleMania to take place in the UK. 

While many fans in the UK and Europe hope to see a WrestleMania closer to home, that is proving to be easier said than done. WWE President Nick Khan recently noted that ‘Big 4’ events will remain in North America for the time being. WWE’s next PLE outside the continent will be Clash at the Castle in Glasgow, Scotland this June followed by WWE Bash In Berlin this August in Germany. 

Plans for WrestleMania

Here are some recent articles about upcoming WrestleMania plans and where fans can expect the shows to take place:

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is set to flex his acting muscles with a role in the reboot of the classic comedy film series ‘Naked Gun.’

Rhodes will make a cameo appearance in the film as himself, according to insiders who spoke to the Daily Mail. It’s noted that Rhodes may be hypnotized in a nod to the original 1988 comedy. Pamela Anderson of Baywatch fame is attached to the film. Liam Neeson will star as incompetent detective Frank Drebin, previously played by the late, great Leslie Nielsen. 

Cody’s Acting Chops

This won’t be Rhodes’ first foray into the world of acting. In 2010, Cody played ‘Kurt Smoller’ on an episode of Warehouse 13, and serves as the romantic interest for the show’s female lead Myka. The couple’s date goes awry when Myka switches bodies with the show’s male lead Pete due to a magic idol, resulting in Pete-in-Myka having to finish the date.

From 2016 to 2018, Rhodes played the near-invulnerable Derek Sampson on Arrow, the CW’s take on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Rhodes portrayed the character for seven episodes and would appear alongside his Summerslam 2015 opponent and Arrow star Stephen Amell.

Though it’ll be a small role, Cody’s work in the Naked Gun reboot bodes well for the American Nightmare. Several WWE names have gone on to thrive in acting including John Cena, Batista, and Cody’s own nemesis Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The Final Boss has vowed to return to WWE and confront Cody and now their war will play out in the ring and the world of Hollywood. 

Wrestlers in Films

Here are some more recent articles about wrestlers who are currently working on high-profile movie projects:

One fan at a recent WWE live event didn’t expect to be proposed to at the show, nor did she expect Cody Rhodes to be there when the question was popped. 

Rhodes has been headlining at WWE’s recent tour of the UK, his first since capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. Belfast, Northern Ireland marked the final night of the tour which went off with a bang. 

In footage shared online, a fan can be seen asking his girlfriend to marry him while Cody watches on and asks if she’ll say yes. The fan being proposed to does indeed say yes much to the delight of her fiance, the fans around them, and the American Nightmare. 

Cody out there celebrating marriage proposals with fans! ????

Congrats to the couple! #CodyRhodes #WWEBelfast #WWE pic.twitter.com/UB6bUN7az6

— Tiffany A Castagna (@CastagnaTiffany) April 21, 2024

Cody Rhodes’ Live Event Adventures

This is hardly the first time Rhodes has gone the extra mile to make a show special for a fan. Last year, Rhodes got up close and personal with a visually impaired fan at a WWE event who held a sign saying they were trying to see him. This heartwarming interaction came about mere weeks after Rhodes agreed to be the Best Man at a fan’s wedding.

When competing in Extreme Rules matches at WWE live events, Rhodes has been gifting tables to fans in attendance and has also been giving away his signature weight belt. Cody also recently had a special entrance with a young fan who was dressed like the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. Rhodes’ antics off of TV continue to endear him with the fans which certainly bodes well for his future in WWE’s new era. 

Fans won’t be seeing Seth Rollins in the ring for some time, but Cody Rhodes was able to pay tribute to his friend and former rival during a recent WWE live event. 

At WWE’s recent event Belfast, Northern Ireland, Rhodes headlined the show with an Undisputed WWE Championship match against Shinsuke Nakamura. For his entrance, Rhodes wore a ring jacket that featured both his logo and Rollins’ logo. Given that Cody hadn’t worn this particular jacket at previous nights of the tour, it appears this was in response to the news that Seth is currently recovering from knee surgery. 

You can check out Cody’s jacket in the video below which also sees the WWE Champion give some lucky young fans a special moment. 

Cody with the Seth jacket tonight????pic.twitter.com/hupTMltcIi

— Britt- |Fan Account| (@sethlovesbritt) April 20, 2024

Latest on Seth Rollins

Rollins’ knee surgery was disclosed by his wife Becky Lynch during an episode of RTE One’s The Late, Late Show. This revelation came after it was reported that Rollins would be taking time off following WrestleMania 40, an event that saw Seth in action on both nights. Earlier this year, Rollins suffered an MCL tear and partial meniscus tear during his match with Jinder Mahal but was able to avoid having surgery. 

At this time, there’s no confirmation as to how much time Rollins will miss due to his surgery. Typically, surgeries for MCL tears can take anywhere between six to twelve months to fully heal. After a 316-day reign as Champion though, Rollins has earned himself some time off and we’re wishing him a full and speedy recovery. 

The stars were out at a recent WWE live event in the UK as the promotion’s ‘new era’ continues to be a hit with audiences around the world. 

On Friday evening, WWE hosted an event in the O2 Arena in London, England, which served as the host of WWE Money in the Bank 2023. As seen in the photos below, some huge names from the world of sport were in attendance. Soccer legend Wayne Rooney was spotted in the crowd while boxer Anthony Joshua was able to meet Natalya and the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. 

This event in the O2 isn’t Rooney’s first foray into the world of WWE. In 2015, Rooney attended an event in London and was confronted during the show by King Barrett. Undeterred by the former Nexus leader, the Manchester United alum delivered a swift slap to Barrett. 

As for Joshua, he hasn’t competed since his knockout victory over Francis Ngannou in March but has plans to fight again this September. While the Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time World Boxing Champion has yet to step into a WWE ring, Joshua said in 2021 that he wanted to try his hand at pro wrestling. 

The two celebs watched on as Natalya beat Shayna Baszler while Cody Rhodes defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in the main event to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship. If WWE’s recent wave of momentum is anything to go by, the pair had a great show at the O2, and it may not be the last time we see these names and other celebrities at a WWE event. 

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will put the title on the line against AJ Stlyes at Backlash: France, in what’ll be a first-time showdown between the two. 

Styles became the number one contender for the title on the April 19, episode of WWE SmackDown with a victory over LA Knight. The previous week, Styles had qualified for the number one contenders match by winning a triple threat that included Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio. 

Rhodes didn’t appear in person during WWE SmackDown as he has been in the UK as part of his first overseas tour as Undisputed WWE Champion. In a video promo from London’s O2 Arena, Rhodes spoke about Styles and dubbed him the modern-day ‘Excellence of Execution.’ Rhodes added that his fellow ‘Georgia Boy’ rarely misses, but he doesn’t miss either and he’s looking forward to the showdown in Lyon, France.

The Undisputed WWE Champion @CodyRhodes has a message for the No.1 Contender, @AJStylesOrg… ?

NEXT WEEK: #WWEBacklash Contract Signing! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/696QbhMobi

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2024

Despite the lengthy careers of both men, this’ll be the first time that Rhodes and Styles face off in singles action. It would only be a handful of months after Styles joined WWE in January 2016 that Rhodes left the company under the bbeleif that he could become something bigger outside WWE. 

Though AJ and Cody have yet to go one-on-one, Styles knows what it’s like to step into the ring with a Rhodes. In October 2003, Styles faced the American Dream Dusty Rhodes in TNA Wrestling for Styles’ NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The Phenomenal One left with the gold that night and hopes to do the same at Backlash: France when the Undisputed WWE Championship is on the line. 

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes believes that the success of WWE’s product will help lure The Rock back into the squared circle. 

Rhodes is currently in the UK as part of an ongoing tour by WWE, his first overseas tour as the Undisputed WWE Champion. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Rhodes was asked about the possibility of a showdown with The Rock. 

“I think it’ll really come down to can I be a good champion or a great champion, Roman Reigns was a great champion, and will that be enough to entice The Rock?”

While Rhodes put a great deal of pressure on himself to be a champion worthy of The Rock’s return, he acknowledged that WWE’s success as a whole would play a factor. 

“This run, it’s a whole new generation, a whole new locker room. Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, myself, Rhea Ripley, all these people. I think the more we keep this, the better we do, the more chances it lures Rock back into the fray.”

Is The Rock vs Cody going to happen? ?

Undisputed WWE Champion @CodyRhodes talk all things WrestleMania, The Rock and WWE’s UK tour! pic.twitter.com/Wmn2pEeabr

— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) April 19, 2024

The Rock and Rhodes were at odds during the build to WrestleMania 40 including an assault on the American Nightmare that left Cody battered and bloodied in Chicago. On the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw, the Final Boss vowed to return to WWE programming one day and is coming for Cody Rhodes. 

If Cody believes that a successful WWE will bring The Rock back to the ring, then the Great One’s next match is all but guaranteed. WrestleMania 40 broke several records for the promotion and was critically well-received by fans. WWE, by its own admission, is in a ‘new era,’ one without Vince McMahon’s involvement. 

WWE is certainly doing big business right now and that won’t go unnoticed by The Rock who is also a member of TKO’s board of directors. With those in WWE of the opinion that WrestleMania 40: Saturday was not The Rock’s last match, it appears Cody Rhodes will get his wish. 

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was left standing tall after WrestleMania 40 went off the air, and now hopes to bring the annual mega-show to the UK. 

Rhodes has been headlining WWE’s recent tour of the UK, which also features Becky Lynch despite rumors of time off. At an event in Birmingham, England, Rhodes marked his first title defense with a victory over Shinsuke Nakamura. 

After the match, Rhodes spoke about keeping his promise to the fans after stating at a previous WWE event that the next time he’s in the UK, he would be a champion. Amid chants of ‘You Deserve It’ from the crowd, Rhodes said that the fans deserve a WrestleMania in the UK. 

“If anybody deserves anything, I’m going to echo John Cena saying the United Kingdom deserves a WrestleMania.”

While Rhodes, John Cena, and countless fans hope to bring WrestleMania to the UK, this monumental feat is easier said than done. The time difference between the UK and the United States would be a huge factor as PLEs in the UK air much earlier in the day States-side. 

Despite WWE bringing more events overseas in recent years, it appears that WrestleMania won’t be making the move just yet. WWE President Nick Khan recently stated that the company’s big four events (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Royal Rumble) will remain in North America for the foreseeable future. 

WrestleMania’s Future

The location of WrestleMania 41 has yet to be publicly confirmed, with Las Vegas and Minneapolis currently the front runners. While the Minnesotan city has been treated as a ‘lock’ for the 2025 event, some believe that WWE will head to Vegas following the chilly conditions of WrestleMania 40. 

Burke Nihill, the President/CEO of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, has said that WWE has committed to bring WrestleMania 43 to Nashville in 2027. WWE has yet to confirm this.