Tag: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes WWE World appearances canceled due to WrestleMania 42 injuries

Posted on by Ian Carey

Appearances by Cody Rhodes at WWE World have been canceled.

WWE sent an alert to ticket holders that Rhodes has been pulled from all appearances planned for the convention on Sunday due to injuries he sustained at WrestleMania 42 the night before.

WWE posted a video of medical staff tending to Rhodes following the main event that showed his left eye swollen shut.

It is not clear when or how Rhodes suffered the eye injury.

Peter Rosenberg and Joe Tessitore addressed Rhodes’ injury on the WrestleMania 42 show, with Rosenberg stating Rhodes will likely be in concussion protocol following Orton’s punt kick, though this was likely a storyline comment.

Rhodes defeated Randy Orton in the main event of night one of WWE WrestleMania 42 on Saturday. After the match, Orton hit Rhodes with the title belt and followed with a punt kick. Pat McAfee had said leading into the main event that if Rhodes won, he would never return to wrestling.

Cody Rhodes retains WWE title at WrestleMania 42 in bloody match

Posted on by Josh Nason

Cody Rhodes remained undisputed WWE Champion after night one of WWE WrestleMania 42, defeating Randy Orton in a bloody match that also featured the end of Orton’s tenure with Pat McAfee.

The ending sequence saw Orton accidentally take out referee Charles Robinson with an RKO followed by an attempted low blow on Rhodes. Rhodes then hit his own low blow, but Orton countered a Cody Cutter with an RKO.

McAfee, Orton’s mystery man revealed on the phone several weeks ago, ran out with a referee shirt and a neck brace, but Rhodes still kicked out. It was intimated McAfee was friendly with TKO and perhaps authorized to make the count, but that was never followed up on.

Orton then hit McAfee with an RKO followed by Rhodes hitting Orton with a Cross Rhodes for pin and win. Orton hit him with the title belt afterward and hit his old school punt, standing over him with the title belt to end the show.

By his own words, this means McAfee will no longer appear on WWE TV.

The reason McAfee was in an neck brace was that he attacked Rhodes before the bell with a microphone. However, Rhodes rallied, took out Orton, and then took out McAfee with a Cross Rhodes. He put McAfee on the Spanish announce table when Jelly Roll appeared. The musician got up on the other announce table, flipped McAfee off, and hit him with an elbow drop through the table. McAfee was then stretchered out with Jelly Roll never to be seen again.

Both Orton and Rhodes were bloodied up at different points in the match. An Orton back injury was played up on commentary during the match and after the show, which played into the match at several points.

The match was just under 23 minutes and was the first defense in Rhodes’ second run with the title he regained last month. Orton remains without a World title run for nearly six years.

WOL: What is WWE’s post-WrestleMania plan?

Posted on by Jim Valley

It’s the Saturday Wrestling Observer Live with Jim Valley just hours before tonight’s first night of WWE WrestleMania 42…

…not that you’d know from the way SmackDown ended Friday night with Cody Rhodes and CM Punk hugging.

Where were all the celebrities who’ve been on TV for weeks? Was that a response to fan reaction or a creative decision? The past few years, WrestleMania hasn’t been well planned out. Will this year be different?

Plus, Jim talks about the WWE Hall of Fame, Bloodsport, ROH Supercard of Honor, JCW, Joey Janela’s Spring Break and more.

Check it out.

Right Click Save As (sub needed)

Four surprise returns that could shake up WWE WrestleMania 42 weekend | Opinion

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

The grandeur of WrestleMania often paves the way for surprise comebacks whether it’s for legends or stars after fully recovering from injury. For some of them, it’s about picking up where they left off while for others, a blockbuster showdown against a talent from another generation. 

Every year, WWE attempts to outdo the previous events when it comes to shocking returns and memorable appearances. With that in mind, here’s a few names whose comebacks this weekend would fit the moment perfectly. 

Kevin Owens

Last year, Owens was heading into WrestleMania 41 in a feud with Randy Orton. However, he announced neck surgery which derailed the match and ultimately led to Joe Hendry’s WrestleMania debut.

Towards the end of 2025. Owens was spotted training at the Performance Center which proved to be a positive direction for an in-ring return.

Owens is attending WWE World this week and has also been keeping tabs on SmackDown, congratulating Carmelo Hayes after he won the United States Title in December. 

That in itself could lead to his involvement in Sami Zayn’s U.S. title defense against Trick Williams given their whirlwind of a friendship. Another opportunity awaits if he disrupts the night one main event between WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Orton. Given his incomplete rivalry with Orton, his interruption ould extend the storyline and prolong Orton’s quest to win his 15th World title with Pat McAfee being taken out to the delight of the fans.

The Rock

The Rock’s latest update indicated he was flying out of Las Vegas this week after attending CinemaCon to promote the live action remake of Moana. However, it is not uncommon for WWE to fly in talent and popular names for WrestleMania at the last minute. I’m guessing The Rock has easy access to a private plane whenever he wants.

The Rock last appeared on WWE TV at 2025’s Elimination Chamber where he influenced John Cena’s heel turn. Travis Scott took over that rivalry when he showed up at WrestleMania to interfere in Rhodes’ match with Cena that cost Rhodes the undisputed WWE Championship. 

The Rock’s potential involvement at WrestleMania 42 makes sense with Roman Reigns and CM Punk’s feud. Their confrontations saw Punk fire off some personal comments about Sika Anoa’i, following which Reigns extended an open invitation to his family to attack Punk as they saw fit. Punk apologized for saying that on Monday’s Raw, but it may be too late.

On top of that, Punk taunting Rock’s Hollywood career as he did on Raw could provoke his old rival once again. After all, the two share an extended history that goes back nearly 14 years. 

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin

Austin has often addressed reduced his capacity for in-ring matches. He briefly came out of retirement for a street fight at WrestleMania 38 against the aforementioned Owens followed by rare appearances on WWE programming both backstage and in the ring. 

A similar role this weekend would carry immense impact. Austin remains one of the most iconic figures in WWE history and his association with WrestleMania is unmatched. 

In the context of WrestleMania 42, his presence for even a brief segment would be a huge moment. After all, hearing the glass shatter is all it takes to make a WrestleMania moment.

Bianca Belair 

The EST of WWE sustained a finger injury at last year’s WrestleMania in a triple threat match with IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship.

In a recent interview, Ripley revealed that Belair informed her mid-match that she suspected her finger was broken after an awkward landing while the latest report stated Belair had commenced light training and was working towards an in-ring return.

Her comeback would have major implications if it occurs on night two as former friend Jade Cargill defends the WWE Women’s title against Ripley, someone she feuded with a year ago.

The last time Belair was seen in a WWE ring was when she served as special guest referee for Naomi and Cargill’s match at Evolution 2025. Sunday could see that comeback begin.

Cody Rhodes appearance set for final WWE SmackDown before WrestleMania

Posted on by Josh Nason

The final stop before this weekend’s WrestleMania 42 got some new additions for this Friday’s WWE SmackDown from Las Vegas — the host city for this year’s two-night event.

Ahead of his Saturday title defense against Randy Orton, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will make an appearance to relay a message to Orton and Pat McAfee.

Jacob Fatu will also appear ahead of his unsanctioned match against Drew McIntyre this weekend.

The new additions join the annual Andre the Giant memorial battle royal and the eight-man street fight between the MFTs and the Wyatt Sicks. In both cases, the official participants have yet to be revealed.

A previous report had WWE Women’s U.S. Champion Giulia defending against Tiffany Stratton, but the match is not on WWE.com’s official preview.

Current WWE SmackDown lineup | This Friday

  • Andre the Giant memorial battle royal
  • The Wyatt Sicks vs. MFTs in a street fight
  • Jacob Fatu appearance
  • Cody Rhodes appearance

Wade Barrett says WWE commentators were ‘shocked’ by Pat McAfee’s return

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Wade Barrett and WWE commentators were not informed of Pat McAfee’s return last month. 

In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Barrett stated that Joe Tessitore and his reaction to McAfee’s involvement in Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton’s feud was legitimate. He revealed that there were blank pages on the sheet with the show’s rundown. 

“Well, I was very surprised when Pat McAfee came out with the Randy Orton stuff on SmackDown. Sometimes there are blank pages on the sheet that I get as a commentator. That was blank. I had no idea Pat McAfee was coming out, I didn’t know what he was gonna say, so it was a shock to me, and it was a shock to Joe Tess on commentary, too. We were caught just as cold as the entire audience, and I was scratching my head. I didn’t really understand why Pat was saying certain things. He was taking shots at people who didn’t deserve to have a shot taken at them. He was also coming up with some references to 40-minute Ironman matches, and I don’t know what show he was watching there. So, yeah, I was caught cold by it. I enjoyed Cody when he came out and issued his immediate retort. And then I was laughing so hard when I watched CM Punk on Raw last Monday, one of the funniest promos and retorts that I think I’ve seen in a long time.”

Barrett complimented the brilliance of McAfee’s addition leaving everyone pondering on his association with the feud and the sentiment around it. 

“I think the brilliance of this whole situation, it’s gone from an initial head scratcher to now the lines have been completely blurred, and I don’t know what is storyline, what is real life. Are they angry? I think when you get to that point, it just creates buzz, and I think the three of those guys you just mentioned have created some serious buzz going into WrestleMania. I think some people are up in arms about it. Other people are angry that CM Punk said some things that he perhaps shouldn’t have said, and went off-script, as people like to call it. I’ve been watching this game a long time, I’ve been behind the curtain for over 20 years at this point. I don’t know where the reality ends and the story begins at this point, so they’ve got me too. So I think it’s exactly what you need this time of year, heading into WrestleMania. You want buzz, you want people talking, you want eyeballs on it. Whether this is by design or by accident, whatever it is, it’s worked.”

On the April 3 edition of SmackDown, McAfee was revealed to be Orton’s mystery caller, being his backup for his WrestleMania match against Rhodes. The segment garnered much backlash from fans given McAfee’s disassociation with the storyline. 

CM Punk called out McAfee’s interference labeling him a ‘tourist in the wrestling business’ which further led to a back and forth between the two. 

Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns featured in ‘Street Fighter’ trailer

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE stars Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, along with NJPW’s Hirooki Goto, are featured in the official trailer for Paramount Pictures and Legendary Entertainment’s upcoming “Street Fighter” film.

The movie is set to be released in theaters on October 16, 2026. Rhodes (as Guile), Reigns (Akuma), and Goto (E. Honda) all have roles in the project. In the trailer that dropped today, Rhodes can be seen multiple times, with Reigns showing up at 2:22 and Goto being seen at 2:15.

Here is the official description for the film, which is the latest attempt to bring Capcom’s iconic “Street Fighter” video game series to the big screen:

  • Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s GAME OVER!
  • Helmed by director Kitao Sakurai, Street Fighter is set to bring the battle from the arcade to the big screen with Hadoukens, roundhouses, and all your favorite characters.

Rhodes and Reigns have a big weekend coming up with them set to headline the respective nights of WrestleMania 42. This Saturday, Rhodes is putting his Undisputed WWE Championship on the line against Randy Orton (w/ Pat McAfee). Reigns will then challenge CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship on Sunday.

The full “Street Fighter” trailer can be seen below:

Cody Rhodes takes back WWE title, trashes The Pat McAfee Show studio

Posted on by Ian Carey

Cody Rhodes has taken back the WWE Championship belt.

On WWE SmackDown on Friday night, Pat McAfee had left with the title following his and Randy Orton’s segment with Rhodes.

On Thursday, The Pat McAfee Show opened with McAfee explaining that Rhodes had entered their studio the previous evening, trashed the set, and took back the WWE Championship belt.

McAfee said on the show:

“A person whose self-proclaimed name is the American Nightmare, is just that. He’s a criminal. Last night, obviously, something devastating happened to our entire Thunderdome.”

McAfee then played security footage that showed Rhodes trashing the studio, spiking a computer on the ground, and retrieving the title belt before leaving.

McAfee continues:

“And on his way out, while DaBone is doing nothing yet again, he spikes my computer, my only computer. So Cody just walks out, no problem. Then he goes on Instagram and posts a video of himself leaving, playing my song while boarding a plane.”

McAfee will be in Randy Orton’s corner at WWE WrestleMania 42 this weekend as Orton looks to win his 15th world title against Rhodes. He was revealed two weeks ago as the person Orton had been speaking to on the phone in recent weeks. McAfee has also been telling the storyline that WrestleMania ticket sales are down due to wrestlers such as Rhodes.

McAfee discussing Rhodes trashing their studio and taking back the WWE Championship belt is available in the clip below:

CM Punk lists Cody Rhodes among WWE dream opponents

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

CM Punk has a list of WWE talents as dream opponents including Cody Rhodes and Bayley. 

On the All The Smoke Podcast, Punk instantly named Bayley as a star he wishes could face in a WWE ring. He praised her in-ring work as a wrestler before proceeding to talk about new talents in WWE. 

“Bayley. I gotta mention Bayley. Maybe I do want to get in the ring with her. Maybe I want to beat her ass, I don’t know. She is such a great wrestler. She is so f**king good. It’s hard not to mention her. We don’t do intergender stuff, barely ever, I did get to put Becky in a sharpshooter, and that was fun.”

He highlighted the new talents in WWE and has sights on Je’Von Evans, Oba Femi and Trick Williams. He lauded Femi and Williams’ star power so briefly in their main roster runs. Punk also pointed out that he and Cody Rhodes have yet to settle their in-ring dispute. 

“I’ll give you a boring answer, man. I want to wrestle everybody, and be careful what you wish for, right? There’s guys on our crew now that are just coming up, and I think they’re all fantastic and they’re all young and they’re all hungry. Je’Von Evans comes to mind. I’ll probably regret saying Oba Femi, but man, I mean, talk about the word trajectory comes to mind, like undeniable that guy is going to be a star. If he’s arguably not already. Trick Williams is another guy. I think, for the level he’s at, he wildly overperforms. It’s almost like you’re underpromised something with him and then he comes out and like total package can talk, can work, he’s got the look. There’s so many. I haven’t had that one-on-one clash with Cody yet. I think that’s a big one we have in our back pocket. Up and down the roster. There’s just so many people.”

Punk and AJ Lee have a close-knit friendship with Bayley which is evident from their social media interactions and posts. 

Rhodes and Punk had a disagreement last year when Roman Reigns returned and stirred the debate over which of them were the better champion of the two. They ended up going on different paths with varied feuds which Punk referenced which needs some closure. 

Cody Rhodes: Pat McAfee storyline ‘most ill-received thing’ in wrestling history

Posted on by Ian Carey

Cody Rhodes says that the recent WWE storyline involving Pat McAfee is “the most ill-received thing in the history of wrestling.”

Rhodes is preparing to defend his WWE Championship against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas this weekend, and McAfee will be in his opponent’s corner for the bout.

During a recent appearance on the SI Media with Jimmy Traina show, Rhodes was asked about the fan reaction to the angle. Rhodes said that every part of the wrestling fandom has reacted negatively to it.

Rhodes said:

“This is the most ill-received thing in the history of wrestling. Gobbledygooker was one. Shockmaster was up there, but that was kind of funny. This is the entire fandom. Your fandom, my fandom, independent wrestling fans, casual fans, cinema fans. Every single fan who’s ever seen wrestling has received this with, ‘Huh? What?’

Okay, so worst received thing in the history of wrestling, but I want to say something on the bright side because I have to be an optimist in general. On the bright side of this, Pat McAfee is a huge star and Pat McAfee is part of, he’s one of the faces, if not the face of ESPN. His College GameDay stuff is legendary. He’s a great athlete and he loves wrestling. He’s just trying to help our party out. So I respect him and I respect that. On the other side of it, I am attuned to the online audience, but it’s not just the online audience, every bit of the audience.”

Rhodes continued to say that he’s not worried about the match at Mania, however, as he feels his opponent is the best version of himself he’s been in a while.

Rhodes continued:

“Why I’m not worried about it at all is because Randy Orton is the guy I’m wrestling. Randy Orton is arguably the best he’s ever been.”

“Pat, where that fits in, I am like you and I’m excited to stand at the plate and you know we’re talking about these guys, if you want that spot that’s it. There’s others who run from that and oh no, that John Cena dealt with this for years and years and years and I’m dealing with it, too.”

Rhodes’ full appearance on the SI Media with Jimmy Traina podcast is available below. The video is queued to his comments about the build to his match with Orton at WWE WrestleMania 42 and the fan response to McAfee’s involvement.

Cody Rhodes addresses dealing with ‘outside forces’ ahead of WrestleMania 42

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Cody Rhodes is no stranger to outsiders getting involved in his WrestleMania feuds. The past two years have been evident with The Rock and Travis Scott’s interference. 

Rhodes discussed the external factors involved in his WrestleMania feud this year on The Rich Eisen Show. He remarked how being a fan of his during the PLE season is challenging due to the frequent external influences affecting his matches. 

“You can look at this year and say ‘hey, here’s Pat McAfee’, you could look at the year before and say ‘here’s Travis Scott’, you can look at the year before and say ‘here’s The Rock.’”

“If you’re a Cody Rhodes fan during WrestleMania season, it’s a choice. We deal with outside forces, we deal with ‘hey, they want to be part’, we’re about it, and I can say this, it’s a spot I always wanted. If you’re gonna be in the big moments you have to be ready for the big jobs.”

“Pat being part of ESPN and WWE WrestleMania is on ESPN for the first time ever, it’s actually a natural fit. Does it fit in a 20 year wrestler-wrestler student-teacher mentor, all that, does it fit in there? No, but Pat sure thinks it does, and now Pat has the title, so we can tell that story another time. That story’s also already been told, lets figure out how this unfolds.”

“Listen, Pat McAfee, Randy Orton, that’s one thing, but we’re getting to this point now where you go through so much as a wrestler, I mentioned the previous  WrestleManias, maybe it’s time for me to change. That’s a new layer of paint for Randy Orton, he’s associated with Pat, he doesn’t need that by any means, but that’s what he’s doing. Maybe I change? Maybe you walk that other side.”

“I’ve been saying for so long I don’t think I can do heel stuff. After a while it feels like it’s almost expected that I’m gonna lose it at some point, he’s gonna snap, and how does that look?”

McAfee was revealed to be Randy Orton’s mystery caller on the April 3 edition of SmackDown. He joined Orton in attacking and verbally provoking the Undisputed WWE Champion. On last week’s show, McAfee walked away with the WWE title after a confrontation with Rhodes, which culminated in Orton ambushing his WrestleMania opponent. Jelly Roll sided with Rhodes in the feud but ended up getting attacked by Orton too. 

Orton and Rhodes will headline Night One of WrestleMania 42 this weekend for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Who needs to get a win at WWE WrestleMania 42? | Opinion

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

It is finally WrestleMania week as WWE takes over Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

While nearly every WrestleMania 42 match carries some kind of significance, some outcomes will have a far greater impact than others. Here’s who I think needs a win the most on this year’s back-to-back cards.

Liv Morgan over Stephanie Vaquer for the WWE Women’s World Championship

Morgan’s rivalry with Vaquer has evolved into one of the most personal feuds on the card.

Morgan’s women’s Royal Rumble victory was widely viewed as overdue recognition for her contributions to the women’s division. Her eventual decision to challenge Vaquer, after being questioned about her work ethic, added a layer to the storyline.

Vaquer moved up to the main roster and won the title at Evolution last year. She initially drew fans’ support, but the limited title defenses and lack of engaging storylines became stale.

A WrestleMania victory would not only validate Morgan’s resurgence but also solidify her third reign as Women’s World Champion.

Randy Orton achieves his goal of a 15th World title

For Randy Orton, the mission is simple: win world title No. 15.

After falling short against John Cena last year, he now finds himself across the ring from Cody Rhodes—his former protege and friend. Their shared history has added depth to the build, particularly following Orton’s brutal contract signing attack.

Rhodes’ reign has been successful, but a bit formulaic. Orton winning here would not only achieve that goal, but would freshen up the main event scene and hopefully Rhodes afterward.

Oba Femi destroys Brock Lesnar

Femi vacated his NXT Championship in December 2025, and made his main roster debut at the Royal Rumble. He demonstrated dominance over the next few weeks on Raw and SmackDown and then responded to Brock Lesnar’s open challenge for WrestleMania 42.

Getting a win over someone of Lesnar’s stature at a platform like WrestleMania 42 in a dominant fashion would really accelerate Femi’s WWE career and help him become part of wrestling history. 

‘The Demon’ teaches Dominik Mysterio a lesson

From a familial bond to becoming enemies in the ring, the tension between Finn Balor and Mysterio had been brewing for a long while now with Mysterio’s constant critic of Balor’s inability to win the World Title as a big part of it.

The return of his iconic entrance theme and presentation associated with the Demon moniker has elevated the hype. The last time the character made an appearance was at WrestleMania 39 for his Hell in a Cell match against Edge and a lot has happened to both men since then.

During his time in the Judgment Day, it felt as though his run was being muffled. A win at WrestleMania 42 will hopefully revert him back to the destined push/opportunities he missed out in recent years.

Seth Rollins ends Gunther’s streak as the ‘career killer’ 

The unexpected buildup for Gunther and Seth Rollins for WrestleMania may have felt a bit rushed storyline-wise, but both stars are prominent enough to warrant a spot on the WrestleMania card. The two have a brief history when they collided in the semifinals for the World Heavyweight Championship in 2023. 

A victory for Rollins at Mania, especially with odds stacked against him and Gunther’s possible alliance with Heyman, would make for a compelling outcome. 

Rhea Ripley dominates the championship picture again in 2026

Since winning the the WWE Women’s title in November 2025, Cargill has defended it just once, that being in February. This led to concern from some fans regarding her in-ring capabilities and future as champion.

Going into their feud at WrestleMania, Ripley has earned the fans’ sympathy and support, especially with Cargill’s new alliance with B-Fab and Michin. Although she has IYO SKY in her corner, it might not be enough for Ripley to counter the numbers advantage for ‘Mania. 

But Ripley winning the title and officially moving to the SmackDown brand would re-establish her dominance, and shift her back into the singles spotlight. It would also prove beneficial for Sky’s future as a singles competitor after their tag team run.

Jacob Fatu sustains momentum

Fatu witnessed a rapid ascent since walking away from Solo Sikoa’s side of the Bloodline fence and on his own.

In January, he interrupted Drew McIntyre’s WWE Title match with Cody Rhodes which cost him the championship. McIntyre vowed revenge ever since and the two have continued their feud which only escalated in March, hence the unsanctioned match this weekend.

Fatu is being cemented as a top tier star in WWE. A marquee win over someone credible as McIntyre would benefit his career while a loss would weaken the dominant presentation WWE has been building up for Fatu. 

On the other hand, for McIntyre, a talent who has competed in consistent main events in his career, a potential loss would serve as a catalyst for a character evolution. It could also push for a more unhinged and unpredictable direction. 

Triple H says WWE has ‘no backup’ for top-tier stars

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Paul “Triple H” Levesque believes WWE’s top-tier stars like Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, and CM Punk are irreplaceable.

Ahead of WrestleMania 42, Levesque sat down with SmackDown commentator Joe Tessitore for a long-form interview posted by WWE. Levesque said there have been “a lot” of surprises on the road to WrestleMania. As a booker, factors like injuries disrupt your plans and change the original vision you had. Levesque feels that injuries in WWE have an even greater impact than they do in other sports, where there is always a backup ready to take over.

“Oh, there’s a lot of them [surprises]. Because sometimes it’s surprises of the way that you think a crowd is going to react to something and they react different,” Levesque said. “Sometimes it’s — when you’re putting stuff together in your mind, Dusty Rhodes used to say this all the time to me, ‘In your mind, you see things 100 percent. If you can get 70 percent of that to come out on the screen, that’s a grand slam.’ In your mind, you picture it perfect. In execution, it’s different. There’s a million variables that can change it that bring it down a notch, or two, or three, or 20, or whatever it is, right? So things turn out differently. Fans begin to react to things differently. What you thought you had locked in four months ago is not the path anymore. The path has changed.

“The other thing about our business is, unlike a sport, and as bad as it is, if you lose your quarterback, if you lose your first-string offensive lineman, if you lose your star center or star guard in the NBA, you have a second-string guy to back them up. And you hope that those second-string guys are pretty good. There is no backup Cody Rhodes. There is no backup Randy Orton. There is no backup Roman Reigns. There’s no backup CM Punk. It’s different because it’s the individual attraction.”

Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Rey Mysterio were some of the names who suffered injuries prior to WrestleMania 42. Rollins and Mysterio have returned in time for the event.

All four of Rhodes, Orton, Reigns, and Punk are available and will be headlining this Saturday and Sunday. Rhodes vs. Orton is the night one main event, while Punk vs. Reigns will close things out on night two.

Cody Rhodes ranks five greatest WWE WrestleMania wrestlers of all time

Posted on by Joseph Currier

After already stopping by Get Up earlier in the day, Cody Rhodes continued his WrestleMania 42 media tour with an appearance on ESPN’s First Take.

Rhodes was asked to name his five greatest WrestleMania wrestlers in WWE history, with the criteria only considering how they performed at WrestleMania. He put two of his current-day WWE peers on the list while giving the three other spots to legends:

  1. Hulk Hogan
  2. Roman Reigns
  3. Shawn Michaels
  4. Randy Savage
  5. Charlotte Flair

While addressing the toughest omissions from the list, Rhodes said he knows the internet will eat him alive over not including Steve Austin. He noted that it was tougher to leave Austin out than The Undertaker.

Rhodes did not put himself on the list but said he hopes his stats will make him worthy of inclusion when someone else makes a ranking like this in the future. Rhodes believes headlining WrestleMania is the most difficult thing to do in WWE, and he’s now heading into his fifth main event if you count both matches from WrestleMania 40. Reigns was involved in three of those bouts.

The WrestleMania 42 main events are Rhodes vs. Randy Orton this Saturday and CM Punk vs. Reigns on Sunday. Ahead of the event, First Take will be broadcasting live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Friday.

Cody Rhodes names WWE WrestleMania 42 match he’s most looking forward to

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Outside of his own match, Cody Rhodes is most looking forward to seeing Gunther and Seth Rollins clash at WrestleMania 42.

Rhodes stopped by ESPN’s Get Up on Tuesday morning to help promote WrestleMania. During the interview, he was asked to name which match he’s most excited to experience as a viewer.

“There’s always a little bit of that split between the sports entertainment and the wrestling. The sports and the entertainment,” Rhodes said. “And the one that’s old-school sports style that I really like, just good, old-fashioned wrestling: Gunther vs. Seth Rollins. I’m all about that. That’s a wrestlers’ wrestling match.”

The Gunther vs. Rollins bout is happening at night one of WrestleMania 42 this Saturday, which will be headlined by Rhodes defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton. ESPN personality Pat McAfee has become a big part of that build and will be in Orton’s corner for the match. On Get Up, Rhodes described McAfee as a “rat” who is surrounded by people who don’t tell him “no” enough.

WrestleMania is Rollins’ first time competing in the ring since he suffered a shoulder injury while facing Rhodes at WWE Crown Jewel in October 2025. WWE ultimately landed on Gunther as his return opponent after multiple other ideas were considered.