The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is stepping into one of the louder debates surrounding WWE right now, throwing his support behind Triple H’s creative leadership at a time when critics have been openly questioning whether the WWE Chief Content Officer belongs in the role.
As one of the promotion’s top stars working inside the system every week, ‘The American Nightmare’ offered a candid endorsement of how the creative process operates.
Speaking on his What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast, Cody Rhodes explained why he enjoys working under Triple H’s approach. He said Triple H operates differently from Vince McMahon and other bookers because he gives talent room to bring ideas forward and collaborate.
Rhodes described himself as a performer who wants ownership over his story and character while still trusting WWE’s machine to polish and produce it.
“Most of the time this is my story. It’s my character. I want to get it as good as I can and then you guys fix it up, filter it, produce it for me. One of the things I love about WWE is taking talented people, but then producing them. You’re producing them and funneling and right now Hunter has a different style funnel, Triple H that being, than Vince had, than any other booker’s,” Rhodes said.
Inside Triple H’s Creative “Sandbox”
Rhodes said the style is especially fun for talent because it lets performers try ideas inside the structure WWE provides. He framed it as a back-and-forth where talent pitches and Triple H helps shape those ideas inside his creative “sandbox.”
“He has a different style that’s really fun if you’re a player for him to go, ‘Hey, I want to be your main guy. I want to be, but this is my, what about this? Try it.’ And to try his sandbox, to try and collab and match that idea,” Rhodes said.
A Response To The Critics
Cody Rhodes’ comments land against a backdrop of public criticism aimed at Triple H’s booking. Vince Russo recently ripped Triple H’s comments about WWE creative and accused him of being unfit for the job, arguing his “ebb and flow” explanation sounded like an excuse.
Cody Rhodes says the Cross Rhodes he hit on Seth Rollins at WWE Battleground 2013 is the greatest he has ever executed, crediting Rollins’ skill level and a unique floating motion he has never been able to replicate.
Speaking to ESPN about the biggest moments of his WWE career, Rhodes walked through the context of the match: a tag team bout alongside his brother, Dustin Rhodes, against The Shield, with their WWE careers on the line.
“I love that it was in Buffalo, New York. I have a couple of unique hometowns that aren’t hometowns. Atlanta is where I’m from, but Buffalo is one, Philly is another. Buffalo, because of this match, there was even someone who said backstage, do you think they’ll care about the road story or Dusty, because he was more of a Florida, Georgia, Carolinas guy, and it was Michael Hayes who actually replied. He said, ‘they’ll care about Dusty anywhere,’ and this is it. The last Bionic Elbow right there. The last one in a big setting on TV.”
Rhodes described how his father’s involvement became the turning point that brought the crowd fully to its feet before the finish.
“Me and Chicken, my older brother, had wrestled for 10 plus minutes and we were — the crowd was moving and they were rumbling, but they weren’t up yet, and then dad takes his hat off and hits that elbow and the people’s, that’s where they first came up. Then we rode that all the way to the best Cross Rhodes I ever hit, and this is it right here, number one on the list.”
He admitted he has never been able to explain or reproduce the exact mechanics of how it happened.
“I’ll never know how we got the floating. I’ve tried again. There was something about how our feet were and Seth’s skill level being one of the greatest of all time. I’ll never know how we floated into that Cross Rhodes, but that’s the number one on the list.”
Rhodes is the current Undisputed WWE Champion. He retained the title against Gunther at Clash in Italy on May 31.
Cody Rhodes has acknowledged the controversy surrounding the finish to the Undisputed WWE Championship match against Gunther at WWE Clash In Italy.
‘The American Nightmare’ successfully retained the title in Turin. However, the finish was immediately called into question after replays showed Gunther’s foot under the bottom rope during the pinfall.
During the post-show media scrum, Rhodes admitted he did not notice the rope break in the moment but saw it clearly on replay. He then offered Gunther a rematch on the spot.
“I didn’t see it in the moment, but I definitely saw it in the replay. If Gunther wants a rematch, I would do a rematch with Gunther right here, right now. … If anyone deserves one, he certainly deserves one. I understand. Hey, a win is a win. But that’s not how you want to do it, especially in front of a wonderful crowd like this. If he wants one, I’m here for it.”
Backstage footage also showed Gunther storming off and throwing a water bottle in frustration after arguing with the referee, making clear he views the result as unfinished business.
.@Gunther_AUT is NOT HAPPY backstage after his match with Cody Rhodes! ?
Betting odds for WWE Clash in Italy are out, and the sportsbooks have Cody Rhodes as a slight favorite to retain over Gunther while installing Rhea Ripley as a near-lock in the women’s title match.
In the Undisputed WWE Championship match, Cody Rhodes (c) is the favorite at -155, with Gunther coming back at +115. It’s the tightest line on the card, reflecting a genuine coin-flip feel to the title bout.
The WWE Women’s Championship match is the most lopsided of the bunch. Rhea Ripley (c) is a heavy -2500 favorite over Jade Cargill at +800, signaling oddsmakers expect Ripley to walk out with the title intact.
Roman Reigns is favored at -900 in his Tribal Combat match against Jacob Fatu, who sits at +500. In the non-title singles match, Brock Lesnar is the favorite at -350 over Oba Femi at +210.
Betting odds aren’t booking spoilers, but they often reflect sharp expectations about which direction WWE is leaning. The full card streams today on ESPN Unlimited.
Gunther says he’s walking out of WWE Clash in Italy as the new Undisputed WWE Champion, telling ESPN’s Get Up he’s never been more prepared for a match than he is for Sunday’s title challenge against Cody Rhodes in Turin.
“I’m not concerned about Cody. I’m not concerned about passing on a message. I know what I do. I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m prepared mentally and physically. I’m at the highest performance level I’ve ever performed at. And walking into Italy, it’s going to be a very difficult situation for Cody, and it’s going to be a very enjoyable situation for me because I’m going to walk out with the title.”
The Ring General earned the shot by cashing in a favor owed to him by Paul Heyman, a sequence that Heyman finally revealed on SmackDown before the match was made official. Gunther framed the entire build as a single-minded pursuit of the championship, with no interest in the back-and-forth that has defined the feud.
Asked whether ending Cody’s career was the goal, Gunther kept his focus on the belt rather than the body count. “He’s still got some years ahead of him, I would say. But my focus is not, I’m not concerned with his career. The only thing I’m concerned about is walking out of Italy as the new champion, and that’s the most important goal.”
That certainty extends to his read on the matchup itself. Gunther made clear he believes the gap between the two is settled the moment the contest starts, regardless of what Rhodes says in the build.
The match is the locked-in feature of the weekend and opens the ESPN broadcast hour alongside Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill. Clash in Italy streams Sunday, May 31 from the Inalpi Arena in Turin, with the first hour airing on ESPN and the remainder on ESPN Unlimited.
Cody Rhodes has revealed why he refused to let a brutal WrestleMania 42 injury keep him off WWE television for long.
During an interview with WWE commentator Joe Tessitore, Cody Rhodes opened up on the gruesome injury he suffered at the hands of Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42. ‘The American Nightmare’ said the real statement came following the brutal match. He said:
“What I would say is everything you needed to know about me—everything you needed to know—happened after. I got up and I walked. I didn’t put on some silly Manila neck brace, I didn’t have myself boarded away.”
Rhodes reflected on his match with ‘The Viper’, saying he wanted fans to see that he was still champion and still standing despite the physical punishment he endured.
Rhodes called it one of Orton’s best performances and admitted he was fortunate to leave with both the championship and without suffering serious injuries such as a concussion or orbital fracture, while showing fans that the damage would heal.
“I got up, I walked out, and I tried to make eye contact with as many people as I could and let them know two things—still the champ, still here. And if that’s Randy Orton’s best shot—and Randy Orton was at his best ever—what does that say? That’s a night where I was lucky to leave with the championship that means the most to our game, but also leave without a concussion, leave without an orbital fracture. And I was able to show people, like you said—it’s going to heal.”
Cody Rhodes said being considered WWE’s “QB1” is about consistency rather than temporary popularity. He explained that while new stars often become the “flavor of the month,” the true top performers are the ones who deliver at a high level week after week, which is a quality he admires in the stars who came before him.
“It felt very important, because you say QB1—what is QB1? If anything, and maybe the biggest thing I’ve learned, it’s consistency. There’s always a flavor of the month, right? There’s always some hot new thing—and good for it. That’s exciting when the crowd gets behind something new. But all my favorites, all the QB1s before me, were consistent. Week in and week out.”
Cody is set to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther at Clash in Italy PLE on May 31.
Cody Rhodes wants to go back to ’90s-style retirements.
The Undisputed WWE Champion recently appeared on the Unsportsmanlike podcast to promote the Clash In Italy PPV. He talked about things such as where the Clash series of PPVs rank among other PLEs, Ethan Page offending him recently, and more.
During the talk, the American Nightmare also gave his thoughts on Brock Lesnar coming out of ‘retirement’ for a rematch with Oba Femi this Sunday. Cody Rhodes first expressed hope that the Beast Incarnate will stick around till SummerSlam to retire in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The current champion then also claimed he wants wrestling to go back to the old ways, where people continue competing even after retirement:
“But I also, I want to get back to 90s style retirements anyways, where we just say we’re retired and then we’re not. Brock has kind of started that out. Terry Funk was retired for 20 years, I think. [Ric] Flair retired a bunch, [Randy] Savage kept retiring, so I’m good with if we’re not doing big absolute definitive retirements anymore. Just say I’m taking a break.”
Bryan Danielson is the one name that has chosen a path similar to the one Cody Rhodes is suggesting. The former World Champion announced the end of his full-time run with the 2024 WrestleDream PPV, giving fans a chance to celebrate his career without officially putting an end to it.
The WWE Champion will be defending his title against Gunther at the Clash In Italy PPV this weekend. The match has been announced for the first hour of the show, but it’s possible that WWE will be forced to move it to the main event. You can check out the reason for it here.
The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes believes the WWE Clash events have replaced Survivor Series in the WWEs’ “Big Four” events.
WWE Clash in Italy PLE takes place this Sunday, and ahead of the show, ‘The American Nightmare joined ESPN’s UnSportsmanLike podcast. He said that the Clash events are emerging as one of the WWE’s “Big Four” events.
Cody Rhodes assured that WrestleMania and SummerSlam will always take the first two spots. However, he believes the Clash PLEs have replaced Survivor Series in the third spot due to its international appeal.
“Well, your big four were traditionally SummerSlam, WrestleMania, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble. Now I think you’re looking at WrestleMania is always gonna be number one, SummerSlam, which is coming up in Minneapolis, two nights, amazing. I think I wouldn’t put Survivor Series there anymore. These are my personal picks,” Cody Rhodes said.
“I’d almost say maybe Money in the Bank, but I think Clash is becoming number three because of the international appeal of it and the fact that it was, you know, Clash in Cardiff, Clash, it’s moving all around. I like that. It gives every city an opportunity,” Cody Rhodes continued.
Rhodes said he currently views WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and the Clash events as WWE’s top three premium live events. After initially leaving out the Royal Rumble, Rhodes corrected himself and named his personal “Big Four” as WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Clash, and the Royal Rumble, while notably excluding Survivor Series and Money in the Bank from the list.
“I don’t want to use Money in the Bank. I’m going to give you my big three. My big three. WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Clash right now. That’s my big three. Yeah, now I’m screwed. It’s early, guys, hold up, hold up, watch this. Let me give you my big four. WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Clash, and then, obviously, the Royal Rumble. There it is. And I won the Royal Rumble twice. I should absolutely be saying the Royal Rumble,” Cody Rhodes said.
WWE originally ran Clash of Champions from 2016-17 and in 2019-20, the PLE was rebranded for its international tours. Till date, there have been a couple of Clash at the Castle events in Wales and Scotland in 2022 and 2024, and Clash in Paris in 2025.
WWE Clash in Italy will take place this Sunday in Turin, Italy where Rhodes faces Gunther for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
The Undisputed WWE Champion sat down with WWE superfans Sean & Finn Rhatigan for the latest episode of his podcast. Among other things, they discussed the topic of fans giving gifts to wrestlers. Speaking on it, Cody Rhodes revealed that he actually hates receiving gifts from fans, giving an example to explain his point:
“So this is secret now, it’s not gonna be a secret anymore, but I hate gifts. Hate them. Because I don’t know how to receive them. I feel like I’m not being grateful enough, or I’m not appreciative [enough]. Sometimes I get so insecure, I’m not worthy, but then also fans give you gifts sometimes that are so nice, but so insanely big. Where am I gonna take this?
Last year, at WWE World, there was a fan who had the full production crew with them. This was a moment. They were in my line to meet me, and they had a poster board, like a giant board. And I can tell this is big and I’m not gonna ruin anyone’s party. I’m excited to see what you got. But I can tell they’re filming it, so it’s a whole thing. We’re on, right?
Okay. He turned it around, and God bless, it’s a picture of my whole family, completely AI-generated except for my Pomeranian. So Yeti is a real photo. Then surrounded by AI images of my family, like, Liberty’s hair is wrong because, they AI-generated what her hair [would] look like.”
Cody Rhodes took the gift home and showed it to his daughter, Liberty. This turned out to be a mistake, however, because the board still sits at his home:
“I took it and it was, honestly, the thought is always so important. But we have to do something with this. I have to get this back. Get it in a car. Have to get this somewhere. So we’re kind of giving it a hard time. And I brought it to my hotel room and I showed it to Liberty, and it was a mistake.
Because I said, ‘All right, we gotta take this. You know, we’re gonna get rid of this.’ And [she] started crying, ‘No, that’s my family.’ So we had to sit it by her bed. And as we can hear on the monitor, she’s like, ‘Goodnight, Yeti. Goodnight.’ Like, she’s talking to it. So now I still have this, this ridiculous thing.”
Cody Rhodes has a warning for Gunther days before the two meet for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy. Speaking with The Rich Eisen Show, the champion questioned whether his challenger is built for the kind of match waiting for him in Turin.
Rhodes pointed to Gunther’s recent run as proof, framing those wins as showcases rather than real tests.
“Gunther has that skill, and when he walks in a room and you see how physically impressive he is, he has a whole style to him that’s different from anybody else in the game. But these are the type of matches he hasn’t been in in a while. He’s been in nostalgia matches. Goldberg, AJ Styles as he was leaving the company, John Cena retiring. I think this is a prize fight. It’s a different type of match, and it’s not one he’s ready for.”
“There’s an element of hooliganism to it that’s beautiful that we don’t always get domestically. I think for me it’ll be fun to see if they consider my opponent Gunther one of them, because everyone keeps saying we’re going to be in Europe, but Gunther is Austrian. He’s not Italian. So I’m curious to see if it carries over. I don’t think it will.”
Rhodes carried the same confidence into a direct message for the challenger, calling the WWE Championship the richest prize in the game and ranking the event among the company’s biggest.
“He’s wrestling for the richest prize in our game at Clash in Italy, which in my mind is starting to become one of the big four. I am easy to find and I am hard to beat. If he takes the title at Clash in Italy, then he can be the one to come back on your show and have it. But I think the way it will go is hopefully I’ll show up in a few weeks and I’ll have the title in tow.”
Then came the sign-off, with Rhodes placing Gunther outside what he called the sport’s top tier, for now.
“Have fun being a tourist in Italy, Gunther. There’s a few prizefighters left in the WWE space. You’ve got a CM Punk, you’ve got a Roman Reigns, you’ve got a Jey Uso, you’ve got myself the WWE Champion, you got Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre. Whenever you’re up against those guys, you’re gonna make the rounds. So Gunther hopefully gets into that golden circle at some point. Good luck.”
Cody Rhodes isn’t letting Sami Zayn off the hook for his recent lack of action on SmackDown, but the Undisputed WWE Champion is refusing to let the drama derail his focus. During an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Rhodes addressed the tense closing moments of SmackDown where Zayn stood by and watched Gunther attack Rhodes from behind with a sleeper hold.
“Well, I think everyone knows the expression that in the wrestling business, everybody wants you to have success. Everybody wants you to be on top, but they don’t want you to have too much success,” Rhodes explained. “I would classify Sami Zayn with one word, and that would be petty. And that’s just a good old petty moment.”
Looking Ahead to the European Tour
Rather than escalating the conflict, Rhodes took some accountability for the strained relationship. “Listen, he didn’t have to save me. He didn’t have to. So I’m not going to give it so much drama behind it,” Rhodes noted. “And again, I didn’t help him when he knocked Gunther off the apron. So perhaps he felt justified.”
With the Zayn drama in the rearview mirror, Rhodes shifted his attention to the WWE European Summer Tour and the upcoming Clash in Italy event. The champion spoke passionately about the evolving global fan culture, specifically referencing the recent event in Lyon, France, which prompted WWE executives Triple H and Nick Khan to add an on-screen sound meter to the broadcast.
“They’re singing songs. They’re putting your name in places you wouldn’t think your name would go into,” Rhodes said of the European audiences. “I expect that sound meter to pop back up, and I’m hopeful that they rival the greatest wrestling crowd of all time, which is France. And I think Italy can do it. This is the opportunity to really put their flag in the sand. Looking forward to see how loud they get.”
AEW Double or Nothing 2026 saw the latest chapter of the rivalry between MJF and Darby Allin unfold, as the heel regained the world title he’d dropped to his fellow Pillar of AEW in an intense main event. So ended a brief, but very memorable championship run.
Indeed, while mainstream wresting fans have grown accustomed to certain type of top title reign via WWE—particularly in recent years—Allin’s time on top demonstrated there are different and exciting ways to book the top prize a company has to offer.
There’s Only Been One World Title Defense In WWE Since WrestleMania
Roman Reigns. Photo: WWE.com
When Roman Reigns spent 1,316 days as WWE’s top champion from 2020 to 2024, it didn’t so much invent as reinforce a specific model of champion. Gone are the days when WWE adhered to its rule that titles must defended at least once every thirty days. Here are the days of part-time champions and normalizing two-to-three month stretches without a given title being up for grabs.
While Cody Rhodes defended the Undisputed WWE Championship more regularly than The Tribal Chief, each of his reigns has demonstrated a certain kind of sameness in title defenses mostly sticking to PLEs and not happening at every single one. World Heavyweight Championship reigns of Seth Rollins, Damian Priest, Gunther, and Jey Uso all skewed in similar directions, as did John Cena’s last WWE Championship reign along his farewell tour.
Indeed, only the reigns of CM Punk and Drew McIntyre felt at least a little different. McIntyre’s reign ran just shy of two months, with one PLE and one free TV defense (but also quite a few house show defenses). Punk’s five months on top saw him work a fighting champion gimmick that stood out from others, including three Raw and two PLE title defenses (plus a number of house show title matches).
Still, despite a few anomalies, the story of WWE world titles post WrestleMania 42—at press time, five weeks and counting–seems representative of the current picture. Reigns has defended his newly won World Heavyweight Championship once, opposite Jacob Fatu at Backlash. Rhodes has not yet defended his WWE Championship since fending off Randy Orton.
On the women’s side, Rhea Ripley hasn’t put the Women’s Championship on the line yet, nor has Liv Morgan defended the Women’s World Championship. (To be fair, three of these titles will be on the line at Clash in Italy, but that still after over 40 days of waiting.)
One might draw all manner of conclusions about these trends, but regardless, it’s undeniable that WWE’s top titles haven’t been on the line much this spring.
Darby Allin Worked Fresh Title Defenses And Worked Them Constantly
Darby Allin. Photo: AEW
Darby Allin unseated MJF for the AEW World Championship in a shocking upset squash on April 15, the same week as WrestleMania 42. The reign has now come to a close, but it’s very telling in his less-than-six weeks on top, he defended the title eight times.
Allin fended off Tommaso Ciampa, Brody King, Kevin Knight, PAC, Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara, and Mike Bailey—a truly diverse set of challengers, many of them fresh to the world title picture (and/or it had been quite a while since they sniffed the main event scene). Moreover, none of these matches ran under ten minutes, only one lasted less than fifteen, and every single outing proved hard-hitting, with no “safe,” easy bouts along the way.
Even CM Punk—WWE’s fightingest world champ in recent memory—only worked four different men in five matches across a reign over four times as long.
Darby Allin’s Reign Was Short And Sweet
MJF. Photo: AEW
Particularly in WWE, fans are in an age of long-reigning world champions as full-year spans spent on top are not out of the ordinary. Indeed the reigns that don’t exceed reach the half-year mark tend to have either been significantly less memorable and eventful like Damian Priest’s time as World Heavyweight Champion or else clearly set out to serve specific booking purposes like Drew McIntyre’s most recent WWE Championship reign adding some drama and giving Cody Rhodes a reason to work the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber.
Darby Allin only reigning for a month and change was less a fluke than a specific kind of story as he defended his championship with a fury, backing down from no one, working no easy matches, dropping the title in line with a narrative of him fighting himself into exhaustion. Despite the brevity of the reign, his time as champ may well be one of the best-remembered title reigns of recent years, and particularly so in AEW.
Different Styles Of Reigns Have Different Merits
AEW
Ultimately, Darby Allin’s short but exhaustive world title reign that saw him defend this belt more than once a week on average was not necessarily a better reign than any of MJF’s, or the reigns of other top stars in AEW, nor WWE’s world champs. Indeed, there’s something to be said for a world title being defended sparingly, making it important when title matches do come and ensuring all challengers feel like credible threats who’ve earned number one contendership.
Moreover, stability at the top of the card does matter to give a world champion the opportunity to assert his or her place as the face of a company in the time-honored tradition of talents like Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, and John Cena.
However, there is also merit to different kinds of reigns, and particularly different kinds of reigns that match the styles of different kinds of performers. CM Punk’s 2025-2026 World Heavyweight Championship showed echoes of Bret Hart’s babyface WWE Championship reigns in the 1990s. Each were, largely defined by an in-ring virtuoso putting on solid matches against an array of opponents with greater frequency than WWE fans were accustomed to seeing.
Allin’s reign was its own beast—a daredevil taking on all comers, not shying away from heavy punishment or risky spots to go down in a blaze of glory. Truth be told, wrestling would probably be the better for more reigns that are not necessarily like Allin’s, but similarly tailored to the character and style of performer at hand.
The latest episode of Being The Elite gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at Team Jericho’s incredible Double or Nothing entrance for their Stadium Stampede match. One of the scenes in the entrance video showed Kenny Omega smoking a cigar.
The Cleaner who had never smoked a cigar in his life before, talked about his experience in the video. Kenny Omega said that the cigar tasted like tree sap but it made him feel like the coolest kid in town. The former AEW Champion then remembered a former member of the Elite who was all about cigars:
“We once had a member of the Elite that was all about cigars. I just feel like there’s a hole in my heart.”
Cody Rhodes is a known cigar connoisseur who has talked about his love for a good smoke on many occasions. The Undisputed WWE Champion was even featured on the cover of the April 2026 edition of Cigar Aficionado magazine.
A founding member of All Elite Wrestling, Cody left the promotion in February 2022 and returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 a couple of months later. Rhodes has made cryptic comments about his departure from the company including claims that he felt disrespected but he has not revealed the full story.
The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently provided a health update and discussed his upcoming title defense against Gunther at WWE Clash in Italy.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, ‘The American Nightmare’ addressed questions about his physical condition, stating he is cleared to compete.
“Well, I’m here. I’m here, and I’m holding the WWE Championship; that’s the most important thing. And all that concussion protocol and this thing was completely swollen shut, staples to the back of the head, stitches to the front of the head, I still found a way to wrestle the following week, so (I’m) built a little different. Yeah, I’m feeling real braggadocios about it. Gave me his best shot, and I came and wrestled the next week.”
Rhodes Dismisses Home Turf Advantage
When asked about facing Gunther in Europe, Rhodes dismissed any home-turf advantage concerns.
“I don’t think it’s his home turf, this is an Austrian, this is Clash in Italy, they are not the same places. Europe is not a monolith,” Rhodes explained.
He continued:
“I actually think that he’s under the impression that this is gonna be an away game for me. I don’t think that. I think Italy will be a crowd like France was: loudest WWE crowd imaginable.”
The Cody Rhodes vs. GUNTHER match at WWE Clash in Italy will see Rhodes defend his WWE Undisputed Championship against the Austrian challenger.
The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently made it clear he will not turn heel simply because fans online keep demanding it.
‘The American Nightmare’ addressed the constant speculation during What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast and explained that while he remains open to the possibility, online pressure alone will not force a character change.
Rhodes said he is comfortable playing himself right now. He acknowledged that if the story eventually requires a heel turn, he would be willing to make that shift, but he is not going to manufacture one just to satisfy fantasy booking.
“I think that’s one of the things too where, like, people ask all the time, ‘When are you gonna turn heel?’ And it’s like, if that’s what the role requires at some point, sure. But right now, I get to just be me,” Rhodes said.
The American Nightmare explained that being himself does not always mean getting a positive reaction. He said some of his decisions may draw boos while others get cheered, but he will not suddenly change his character to meet online expectations.
“And sometimes being me means making a decision that maybe gets booed. Sometimes it means making a decision that gets cheered. But I’m not gonna suddenly start acting like something I’m not just because somebody online thinks that’s the move,” he stated.
He added:
“I’ve really enjoyed just getting to be myself in this run. And if eventually the story goes a different direction, then okay, that’s part of wrestling. But for now, I’m good with where I’m at.”
Rhodes remains one of WWE’s top babyfaces, but his latest comments keep the heel turn conversation alive. While he is not turning heel right now, he is no longer treating the idea as completely off the table either.
Cody Rhodes is set to defend his Undisputed WWE title against Gunther at Clash in Italy this weekend.
Gunther has revealed a list of five wrestlers he most wants to retire, with Sheamus topping the list for personal reasons and Brock Lesnar making the cut for publicity value.
Speaking on Main Event Club, Gunther was asked to blind rank his retirement targets. His list in order: Sheamus, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and CM Punk.
He elaborated on his top two picks.
“The thing with Brock is for publicity and is perfect. Sheamus, it’s a personal matter. I want to retire him. Subjectively, they are all good choices. On the main roster, Sheamus was my first big opponent, and he beat me up a lot. He made me earn it. I hope I can kick his ass on the way out.”
Gunther has been dubbed “The Career Killer” after ending the careers of Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles. Sheamus is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury with no confirmed return timeline.
Gunther is set to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy on May 31 at Inalpi Arena in Turin.
WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray believes Cody Rhodes should lose the Undisputed WWE Championship to Gunther at Clash in Italy.
‘The American Nightmare’ is set to put his Undisputed WWE title on the line against ‘The Ring General’ at the PLE in Turin, Italy. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Ray shared his pitch for the match.
He argued that Cody Rhodes should be placed in a “no hope” situation heading into the match. He wants to see the champion struggle in a way that creates genuine doubt about his ability to retain.
“I want Cody to be in a situation that he’s not used to being in where there is no hope,” Ray said. “Want Cody to go to sleep this week on SmackDown, I want Cody to go to sleep next week on SmackDown. And I want Cody to go to sleep in the match in Turin, and I want Gunther to win.”
The Reason Behind the Pitch
Ray explained that taking the title from Rhodes would create stronger heel heat for Gunther. He believes WWE should rely on traditional storytelling methods that have worked in wrestling for decades.
“I want to take the hope from Cody away,” Ray continued. “Would love to see WWE rely on things that have been working in pro wrestling for hundreds of years, and that is going with some heel heat and steam in which the babyface has no hope, and now we see Cody put in a situation where he might have to question himself.”
The veteran doesn’t believe a loss would hurt Rhodes long-term. He argued that Rhodes’ fanbase would rally behind him and support his eventual comeback.
“I believe he should defeat Cody. Will the loss affect Cody? Absolutely not, because Cody’s fanbase will rally behind him, because Cody’s fanbase has hope in Cody and they believe in Cody and they will will Cody back to his next victory,” Ray said.
Whether WWE follows Bully Ray’s booking idea remains to be seen, but the suggestion adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming showdown between Cody Rhodes and Gunther.
With Clash in Italy shaping up as one of WWE’s biggest international events of the year, a title change would instantly shock fans and potentially elevate Gunther to an even higher level as a dominant heel champion.
WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles recently reflected on his 2024 WWE Championship storyline with Cody Rhodes.
The feud played out across two Premium Live Events last year. ‘The Phenomenal One’ challenged Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at both Backlash France in May and Clash at the Castle in June.
Rhodes defeated Styles at Backlash France on May 4, 2024, in his first PLE title defense after winning the championship from Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The rematch took place at Clash at the Castle in Glasgow, Scotland, where Rhodes again retained the title.
“I remember when Cody won the World Championship and AJ Styles was going through his dark time. The pitch was for AJ Styles to wrestle Cody Rhodes. I was like, ‘Well, freak. I just tried to get this character over being just a vicious heel, and I’m gonna have to lose if I’m wrestling Cody because we can’t flip flop the title. That’s not the way it’s gonna work.’ So it was nice being back in the main event on the PLEs and whatnot.”
The program marked a significant chapter in Rhodes’ championship reign, coming immediately after his historic WrestleMania victory. Styles, a two-time WWE Champion himself, served as Rhodes’ first major challenger during this run.
AJ Styles remains active behind the scenes and has been a part of NXT scouting team following his retirement.
Former WWE Divas Champion Layla El recently shared her thoughts on Cody Rhodes’ remarkable rise in WWE, praising the current Undisputed WWE Champion’s dedication and drive.
Rhodes has established himself as one of WWE’s top performers since returning at WrestleMania 38. He currently holds the Undisputed WWE Championship in his third reign, having defeated Drew McIntroe on the March 6, 2026 episode of SmackDown in Portland, Oregon.
Speaking with Sportshadow Wrestling, Layla reflected on Rhodes’ journey and revealed she recognized his star potential early in his career. The former Divas Champion explained why she believed he was destined for greatness.
“I, 100%, saw that. I started dating Cody because I knew he was going to be a star and he had a lot of dreams and everything that he told me that he was going to do, he’s done it,” Layla said. “So, congratulations to him because for someone who can tell you their dreams and they’re going to make it happen and they do make it happen, congratulations!”
She continued, “So yeah, I mean of course I saw it because I wouldn’t have dated him or been with him if I didn’t see everything that people will see now. So yeah, I did.”
Rhodes’ current championship reign marks his third time holding WWE’s top title over the past two years, cementing his status as one of the company’s premier attractions on SmackDown.
McAfee turned heel and even attacked ‘The American Nightmare’ several times. Rhodes also destroyed McAfee’s studio set, with both going back and forth in promos and online.
However, that’s all in the rearview mirror. The duo was seen sitting side-by-side just weeks after their heated WrestleMania 42 feud. The appearance marked a break from kayfabe as WWE promoted its new streaming partnership with ESPN and Disney+.
The WWE Champion and the former NFL star attended an ESPN College GameDay-style panel together, despite their recent on-screen rivalry. Rhodes later posted photos from the event on his social media.
The appearance was part of Disney’s presentation to advertisers after WWE announced its major new deal with ESPN and Disney+. As per reports, the five-year, $1.6 billion agreement will bring WWE Premium Live Events exclusively to ESPN platforms.
Cody Rhodes revealed that Nintendo sent him a cease and desist letter over Zelda-inspired gear he wore during his original WWE run. The Undisputed WWE Champion opened up about the gaming tribute during an appearance on the What Do You Wanna Talk About podcast with Kit Wilson.
Rhodes wore Triforce symbols from The Legend of Zelda franchise on his wrestling boots in 2013 during his first WWE tenure. The symbol represented more than just a gaming reference for The American Nightmare, who has a Triforce tattoo on his ring finger.
While showing Wilson the tattoo, Rhodes explained how he connected the Triforce’s themes of power, courage, and wisdom to professional wrestling. He broke down the meaning behind each element of the symbol.
“I live that s***, dog. I thought [about] the principles of the Triforce, which are power, courage, and wisdom. For those who don’t know, Zelda’s the wise one, obviously Link is the one who’s got the courage, and power is Ganon. They make up the three parts of the Triforce. That’s the whole deal,” Rhodes said.
Rhodes Connects Triforce to Wrestling Mentality
The current Undisputed WWE Champion explained how those principles applied directly to the competitive nature of sports entertainment. Rhodes connected the symbol’s meaning to the physical and mental demands of professional wrestling.
“And I just liked the idea of thinking and leaning towards your own wisdom, or what you’ve learned and applying it, of being ambitious and wanting to be powerful, if you can, in a world that’s competitive, of sports and sports entertainment, and then having the courage to do it. Here you are, you’re taking a dive, you bust your elbow. You’re gonna decide to take the dive the next night, and you bust your elbow even further. I thought it was just applicable,” he explained.
Despite the personal connection Rhodes had to the symbol, Nintendo eventually noticed the tribute. The gaming company sent him a cease and desist letter regarding the Triforce imagery on his boots.
“I also got a cease and desist from Nintendo. It was very kind, they weren’t… it was polite, they weren’t coming after anybody, I’m not the first guy to have the Triforce,” Rhodes revealed.
Rhodes is currently in his third reign as Undisputed WWE Champion after defeating Drew McIntyre on the March 6 episode of SmackDown in Portland, Oregon. He successfully defended the title against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 Night 2.
WWE has added two more UK stops to its 2026 European Summer Tour, announcing a SmackDown taping at London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday, June 23, and a live event at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena on Wednesday, June 24.
The London SmackDown gives the O2 Arena back-to-back nights of WWE television, with Monday Night Raw already booked for the same venue on June 22. It also becomes the second SmackDown taping of the European run, joining the previously announced Barcelona date on May 29 and Bologna date on June 5.
?JUST ANNOUNCED?WWE SMACKDOWN returns to The O2 on Tuesday 23 June 2026.
WWE is still listing the show as Friday Night SmackDown despite the Tuesday taping, leaving open whether it will air live on Netflix internationally or be tape-delayed for the regular Friday window. Past international SmackDowns, including last year’s Bash in Berlin and Clash in Paris weeks, have aired live on Netflix outside the U.S.
The taping carries added weight as the final television stop before Night of Champions, which takes place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, June 27. WWE has previously stated it does not run Raw or SmackDown out of Saudi Arabia, effectively making the O2 Arena episode the go-home show for the Premium Live Event in Riyadh.
The Sheffield date closes out the UK leg of the tour as a non-televised live event. It marks WWE’s third Utilita Arena stop of the run, following Cardiff on June 20 and Birmingham on June 21.
Ticket Information
An exclusive presale for both the London SmackDown and the Sheffield event begins Tuesday, May 12, at 10am BST. General sale tickets become available on Thursday, May 14, at 10am BST through WWE.com/events.
Champions Advertised For European Tour
WWE has confirmed a stacked roster for the European Summer Tour, including Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes (c), Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan (c), WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley (c), United States Champion Trick Williams (c), and Intercontinental Champion Penta (c). The Usos, GUNTHER, Drew McIntyre, and Jacob Fatu are also advertised across the run.
WWE commentator Corey Graves believes the backlash surrounding Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll at WrestleMania 42 stemmed from their “inorganic” use on the show.
Both men played key roles in the Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes feud, despite the wrestlers having extensive history WWE could have utilized instead.
Speaking with Bill Apter, Graves explained that timing was crucial to how fans received their involvement. He noted that WrestleMania and celebrities have been connected since the beginning, but McAfee and Jelly Roll “caught a few strays” in this instance.
“I truly believe it was the timing of it. I think if there had been a little bit more time to work with… I think if there had been a little bit more time and maybe if it had been in a different match,” Graves said.
“I mean, obviously, WrestleMania and celebrities have been synonymous since the beginning. I think Pat and Jelly Roll caught a few strays. I think it was just a matter of people have been waiting for Cody and Randy for so long and they wanted to see that story told and unfold organically.”
Square Pegs in Round Holes
Graves further described the situation as an example of “square pegs in round holes,” noting that the use of McAfee and Jelly Roll simply didn’t fit what fans wanted to see.
Rhodes defeated Orton in the main event of WrestleMania 42 Night One, though Orton attacked him after the match. As per the stipulation, Pat McAfee will reportedly never appear on WWE programming again, though the permanence of such stipulations in wrestling remains to be seen.
The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently revealed that he visited WWE headquarters to explore what his career might look like after his in-ring days are over.
The Undisputed WWE Champion treated the trip like a formal job interview, preparing detailed presentations and meeting with key departments across the company.
Cody Rhodes Prepared Detailed Presentations for WWE Departments
Speaking on the What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast, Rhodes explained his methodical approach to the visit. He wanted to understand what working at WWE’s corporate office would actually entail.
“I wanted to go to the office to see what life would be like at the office at WWE HQ. I had a career before as Executive Vice President (at AEW), and I failed at it,” Rhodes said. “I had some success along the way, but failed. Ultimately, I learned a great deal from said failure, but I wanted to go and I wanted to treat it like I was going there for a job.”
Rhodes created a full tech format with detailed timelines based on WWE’s current operations. He shared these materials with Bruce Prichard and the creative team, then met with Lee Fitting’s CPG department to discuss potential contributions.
“I didn’t want to be unprepared,” Rhodes explained. “I reached out to as many people as I could on the roster and said, ‘What’s an idea for you? What’s something you want to do?’”
Roster Members Responded with Varying Levels of Detail
The responses Rhodes received from fellow WWE talent varied significantly. Some wrestlers called him directly, others didn’t reply at all, and some sent brief text messages with simplified notes.
Rhodes singled out Kit Wilson for providing exceptional detail.
“You didn’t send me a text or voicemail. I have nine full-blown PDFs. At every meeting I was in, I almost spoke about you,” Rhodes said.
While Cody Rhodes remains focused on his run as Undisputed WWE Champion, his visit to WWE headquarters showed he is already thinking ahead about life after wrestling.
Cody Rhodes’ wife Brandi Rhodes recently came up with a humorous reaction to what went down on WWE SmackDown.
Gunther recently attacked Cody Rhodes on the latest edition of SmackDown following Rhodes’ victory over Ricky Saints. ‘The Ring General’ applied a sleeper hold and held the WWE Championship high, signaling his intentions as Rhodes’ next challenger.
Officials attempted to break up the assault, but the former World Champion continued the attack before eventually releasing the hold. He then grabbed Rhodes’ WWE Championship and held it above his head in a clear statement of intent.
Brandi Rhodes Reacts
In an X post, Cody Rhodes’ wife Brandi Rhodes made a humorous comment that their oldest daughter, Libby, wanted to use one of her infant sister’s diapers to stink up Gunther’s bus.
“Libby wants to put one of her sisters dirty diapers on Gunther’s bus. I think that’s a good start and we can just build from there.”
Libby wants to put one of her sisters dirty diapers on Gunther's bus. I think that's a good start and we can just build from there.
Gunther last appeared at WrestleMania 42, where he defeated Seth Rollins. Bron Breakker played a decisive role in that match, returning to spear Rollins before the finish.
Rollins and Breakker have continued their feud since WrestleMania, with a match scheduled for next weekend at Backlash. Gunther now appears positioned to challenge Rhodes for the WWE Championship in the coming weeks.
