The new face of WWE was crowned after Cody Rhodes dethroned the dominant Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania XL. The American Nightmare recently opened up about the emotions and experiences that unfolded behind the scenes after his unforgettable triumph at The Show of Shows.
At WrestleMania 39, Rhodes failed to defeat Reigns due to outside interference from The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa. However, he started from the back of the line, won the 2024 Royal Rumble, and challenged The Big Dog for the championship at this year’s WrestleMania.
Despite the “Bloodline Rules” stipulation, Cody Rhodes received help from WWE legends such as John Cena and The Undertaker and finished his story at this year’s Showcase of The Immortals.
Speaking on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, The American Nightmare revealed that a vivid picture of his journey, from challenger to champion kept him up all night. The 39-year-old even texted The Deadman, seeking acknowledgment for his big win at WrestleMania.
“I didn’t sleep. I went right to The Today Show; I laid in a bunk, and I texted a bunch of people, including The Undertaker. And now The Undertaker has a podcast and a stage show. So things you might say could become public knowledge—these legends—that’s what they do. I left him what I would say as a rambling, perhaps intoxicated little rant just thanking him for being there,” he said.
The Undisputed WWE Champion added:
“I was almost worried there’d be a sense of completion, this sense of fullness. I was genuinely concerned, like, well, stories over. But as soon as it was done, it felt like literally [I was] 10 feet tall, felt bulletproof, felt younger, felt faster, like I just didn’t feel grizzled at all, to the point where I thought, Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun. But what do we do next?”
Cody Rhodes will likely defend his WWE Title at SummerSlam 2024
Even though The American Nightmare pinned Reigns, his feud with The Bloodline is far from over. Solo Sikoa has taken over the mantle, calling himself The Tribal Chief in the absence of The Big Dog.
At Money in the Bank 2024, Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga defeated the trio of Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, and Cody Rhodes. On last week’s Friday Night SmackDown, the 39-year-old champion granted The Street Champion a SummerSlam match for the WWE Title. However, he was soon cornered by Solo and Co.
Randy Orton came to Cody’s aid, but The Bloodline overwhelmed The Apex Predator with a numbers advantage, leaving Rhodes tied up between the ropes and helpless as they unleashed a brutal assault.
Fans will have to wait for the upcoming edition of SmackDown to see if Nick Aldis officially announces Solo Sikoa vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship for SummerSlam 2024.
