After 20 years in the pro wrestling business, Cody Rhodes is one of the most influential performers and minds of his generation
BY RYAN K BOMAN | MARCH 28, 2026
For a man who is still just 40 years old, it seems as if Cody Rhodes has lived a thousand lifetimes in the squared circle. Ten years ago, he departed WWE as a potentially failed experiment. When he returned, he was a well-constructed mat and media machine.
The legendary Grandson of a Plumber was born June 30, 1985, into wrestling royalty, the offspring of one of the most electric entertainers of all time. However, there’s no denying that he’s already forged a unique legacy all his own now.
Rhodes, the three-time and reigning WWE Champion, is at the top of the entire game right now, as the promotion’s biggest hero and a true spokesman.
He’s currently the poster boy for everything that World Wrestling Entertainment has become: A much more polished version of what existed before, a sanitised sports entertainment that appeals to the masses. A little bit of brawling, mixed with a whole lot of business savvy.
Most of what has occurred in the business has been through the mere passage of time and the flipping of chapters, while a select set of events has been forced by the hands of a few notable names. Cody has been one of those move makers and lever pullers. Often, his calculated maneuvers have begun as a ripple, only to turn into a pro wrestling tidal wave.
“I’ll Take That Bet”
No matter if you’re a fan of his ring style or him as the biggest babyface in the world, there’s no denying the seismic force he has become since his original departure from the Worldwide Leader in Sports Entertainment in 2016. He transformed from a wrestler into a star. And then, from a wrestler into a brand.
Many never thought it would turn out that way. For those who don’t remember, The American Nightmare was ridiculed by fans online when he stated that he felt like he could become a bigger star on his own. At the time, WWE was the only major promotion on the planet, and in the eyes of many, Rhodes had failed there. Suddenly, he was talking as if he had the same stroke as his famous father, which didn’t seem fathomable at the time.
What followed next would change history and the industry. As he cleverly marketed himself and plotted his course through some of the top ‘other’ promotions around the world, he was gaining notoriety and respect from the audience. A growing number of fans began to chart his every move, and he became a bit of an underground hero. Eventually, he would go on to become a major name in both Ring of Honor and New Japan as part of the Bullet Club.
At the time, I wrote a column entitled, ‘The Cody Effect’, where I cited the effect that Rhodes’ rise was having on the rest of wrestling. He had been able to actually become more popular without WWE, something that was considered virtually impossible. So, I reasoned that if he continued to find success, the rest of the industry would follow. They would eschew the traditional route and begin to find other avenues to success, as if motivated by the flap of Cody’s wings.
That type of butterfly effect did eventually take place, and it was no better culminated than the ALL IN pay-per-view, the largest Indy event ever. The massive gathering featured a next-generation look at the sport. And it all started from a simple bet.
When a fan asked longtime wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer if an independent event could draw over 10,000 fans, he downplayed it and said it wouldn’t happen anytime soon. Cody responded simply, “I’ll take that bet, Dave.”
What happened next set the foundation for what wrestling has become in the 2020s, with Rhodes as one of its chief architects. The show, named ‘ALL IN’ was held on September 1, 2018, near Chicago, at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Cody would defeat Nick Aldis to win the NWA World title, becoming the first father-son combo (with Dusty, who was a three-time titleholder) to accomplish that feat.
The night was a smashing success, surpassing that agreed-upon 10K mark and showcasing a new brand of pro wrestling entertainment that many fans had never experienced before.
All In, AEW, and Finally Assuming the Throne
The years that have followed tell their own story. Coming off of ALL IN, Rhodes would drop the belt back to Aldis at the NWA 70th Anniversary Show later that year and move on to his next project. A new promotion, one that was based on the same independent spirit that Cody had just displayed a couple of years earlier.
During his AEW tenure, he established himself as a star and a cable television entity. But it was his mysterious leap from Executive Vice President of that upstart promotion to the biggest free agent signing in years for World Wrestling Entertainment. So, while ALL IN and eventually Tony Khan helped Rhodes prove his point, he knew all along that he would have to go back to his roots to become a mainstream, pop culture superstar.
He came back dramatically at WrestleMania 38, revealed as the surprise opponent for Seth Rollins. He won that match, signaling that this wasn’t just for a night of nostalgia; it was a full-scale reinvention. Vowing to ‘finish the story’ that his iconic father never got to by capturing the WWE Championship, The American Nightmare’s rivalry with the company’s franchise player, Roman Reigns, established him as a top-level performer.
Since Cody flapped his wings and flew from the WWE in 2016, he has steered his own career. He first ventured out on his own in 2016, setting an example of self-reliance in the industry. However, he also deftly maneuvered the waters of sports and media to position himself as a global star. All within the confines of a business that once held a chokehold on its workers.
So, in the end, the true ‘Cody Effect’ is less about independent appearances and more about an independent mindset. It’s the entrepreneurial spirit of betting on oneself. And the resounding ripple effect has become a blueprint that every wrestler should follow.
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