“A wise man once told me I’d have to leave to get everything I wanted.” – CM Punk

2 years ago, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes made his surprise return to WWE programming at WrestleMania 38. The next night, live on the Raw after ‘Mania, he shared a story: One that began almost 5 decades ago when his late father, his hero, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, failed to capture the WWF World Championship from Superstar Billy Graham in Madison Square Garden. It was then, he said, at 8 years old, that he began his mission to win the title for himself. So that he may let his father hold the belt that eluded him that night.

And then, Cody said: “Unfortunately, that dream died.” 

In 2015, at 69 years of age, Dusty Rhodes passed away. Cody, jarred into reflection and dissatisfied with his trajectory in the WWE, decided to ask to be released from the company. He walked away, and thus began a journey of rediscovery, reinvention, and ultimately, return; a journey that took him from undesirable to undeniable, and finally, undisputed.

Fed up with years of lackluster bookings despite his solid in-ring and character work, he left the WWE to take his talents to the independent circuit. He signed with Impact Wrestling (now once again known as TNA), joined the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, then soon after founded & became EVP of All-Elite Wrestling. He returned to the WWE as the hand-picked opponent for Seth Rollins in front of a rabid Texas audience at WrestleMania 38. That night, the once criminally under-appreciated talent became the biggest babyface the company has ever had since John Cena or Daniel Bryan.

A few months into his return, Rhodes suffered a gnarly pectoral tear. It sidelined him for half a year. After going through surgery, he got himself back in shape and won the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match, granting him the right to challenge for the World Title. Then, at WrestleMania 39, on his first attempt at dethroning the champion Roman Reigns in a match where he was overwhelmed by outside interference and dirty heel tactics, he lost. He sat in the middle of the ring, disappointed and dejected as much as the fans in attendance. This was followed by another year-long saga that saw him winning the Men’s Royal Rumble for the second consecutive year – putting him back on the road to WrestleMania against Roman Reigns and The Bloodline, the WWE’s biggest heel faction, which was only bolstered by the addition of The Rock in his baddest, meanest, most power-tripping persona.

The buildup to the match was electric. There was no way that Cody Rhodes, his star bright with the #WeWantCody movement behind him, would walk out of Philadelphia without the championship. As expected, the same shenanigans ensued during the main event, but this time around Rhodes had more supporters with him – the likes of Jey Uso, John Cena, and The Undertaker getting involved in the match to help Rhodes finally pin Reigns one… two… three. At the end of the night, Rhodes had finally won undisputed gold. He placed the title in the hands of his mother, and finished his story. 

Pro-wrestling is scripted, some might say fake. But the emotions on that night, in the middle of that ring – even the tears in the eyes of my buddy and I on the other side of the globe – those were so incredibly real.

This 2-year storyline was cinema. It was poetry. It granted hope to every undervalued, dispirited talent who might have been watching. Your story is not only yours to tell, it’s yours to write – with all its trials and tribulations, and of course, all of its triumphs. In some cases you have to move on to move up. But regardless of where you end up, it’s always you who gets the final say on your worth as a human being.