Former All Elite Wrestling Star and top WWE Star “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, who was a huge part in the creation of All Elite Wrestling, left the company early last year after his contract with them expired. Cody would then make his return to the WWE at last year’s WrestleMania 38, when he took on WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins in a Singles Match. Cody Rhodes would end up suffering a nasty torn pectoral injury prior to his Hell In A Cell Match against Rollins.
Rhodes would then undergo surgery for his torn pectoral injury and after several months of rehab, The American Nightmare would finally make his highly-anticipated in-ring return at the company’s 2023 WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event last January, where he would win the Men’s Royal Rumble Match to earn an opportunity to challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in the main event of WWE’s WrestleMania 39.
The American Nightmare would come up short against The Tribal Chief at The Show Of Shows despite many members of the WWE Universe thinking it was a foregone conclusion that Rhodes will dethrone Roman and end his monumental title reign. The finish of the match shocked the WWE Universe as not only was Cody expected to dethrone Reigns, which ended up not happening, but The Tribal Chief was reportedly slated to take time off, which didn’t happen either.
Dave Meltzer stated on a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that certain WWE higher-ups were under the impression that Cody Rhodes losing at WrestleMania 39 against Roman Reigns was the right decision as The American Nightmare still has room to grow and someday he will end up dethroning The Tribal Chief. Meltzer also noted that these WWE higher-ups have known for a while that Cody would not win at WrestleMania 39 despite most fans thinking it was the logical decision considering Roman’s lengthy title reign.
The Tribal Chief has since been continuing his Bloodline storyline with The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman, while The American Nightmare recently finished up his feud with Lesnar by defeating The Beast Incarnate at SummerSlam.
