Cody Rhodes Signs With WWE, Wrestles at WrestleMania

Cody Rhodes has officially signed with WWE, appearing tonight at WrestleMania as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent and picking up the win with three Cross Rhodes.

Rhodes kept essentially his same AEW presentation, including his theme music from AEW and his rising from the floor entrance. He received a massive reaction and put on an excellent match with Rollins in what was a great WrestleMania moment. Brandi Rhodes did not appear and there’s no indication that she’ll be joining him in WWE.

ADRENALINE
IN MY SOUL
WWE SIGN
CODY RHODES!#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/QH3itBS8gB

— WWE on BT Sport (@btsportwwe) April 3, 2022

Rhodes put out a press release saying that he has signed a “multi-year deal” with WWE, though the amount of years wasn’t specified.

Immediately after his debut, Variety released an interview with Rhodes where he talked about why he left AEW for WWE.

Here are a couple of excerpts:

And of course, everyone wants to know about the details around your departure from AEW.

I chose to remain silent about my departure from AEW and I’m going to keep my word on that. There’s no shoot interview. There’s no nefarious tale that’s going to be told. There were all these different theories and none of them are correct. I mean, there were things about money and creative control. They were printed as fact and it’s been a very difficult two months to see that, when the reality is it was just time. It was a personal matter and we couldn’t move past it. I have nothing but respect for Matt [Jackson], Nick [Jackson] and Kenny [Omega]. I’m rooting for Tony Khan. His name is going to be in the history books as someone who helped to bankroll and support this entire alternative and revolution that AEW became but for me, it was just time to to move on. I get an opportunity at my dream, I get another chance at it. And you really can’t leave any stone unturned with that.

You’ve been gone for almost six years. Do you feel as though you’re a completely different performer than when you left?

I told Vince McMahon, Bruce Prichard and Nick Khan — this very small circle of individuals — I told them what I truly believe and it’s that I’m the best wrestler in the world. And to go further with it, I actually don’t think there’s a close second. But with that said, the opportunity now exists to prove it, and that’s what I’m most excited about.

Several Cody t-shirts are also already available on the WWE Shop.

The American Nightmare! New @CodyRhodes tees available now at #WWEShop! #WWE #WrestleMania #CodyRhodeshttps://t.co/iTSnRt7Sw9 pic.twitter.com/3F9Pnqeqx2

— WWEShop.com (@WWEShop) April 3, 2022

WWE also posted a backstage interview with Cody after the match:

EXCLUSIVE: Hear what @CodyRhodes has to say following The American Nightmare’s return at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/eoHrV51BVf

— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2022