Before WWE WrestleMania 40, Cody Rhodes and The Rock found themselves in an awkward situation. Fans had expected Rhodes, who won the Men’s Royal Rumble, to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
Instead, on the February 2 episode of WWE SmackDown, Cody Rhodes made a surprising move by introducing The Rock and stepping aside. This allowed The Rock to face Reigns at WrestleMania 40, despite Rhodes winning the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble Match. Fans reacted strongly, creating a backlash online and rallying behind Rhodes with the #WeWantCody movement.
However, Cody Rhodes eventually secured a match against Roman Reigns. In May, former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz noted in an interview that Rhodes’ promo was meant to be uplifting. However, he appeared genuinely upset and conveyed his emotions sincerely. Rhodes recently shared what was going through his mind during that moment.
Cody Rhodes’ take on The Rock’s WrestleMania 40 situation
The American Nightmare recently appeared on Kenny McIntosh’s Inside The Ropes and discussed The Rock taking his spot and Brian Gewirtz’s criticism. Rhodes reflected on how the moment felt so real that he couldn’t focus on his performance.
He admitted that he didn’t consider how his expression might appear, especially after The Rock’s kind words influenced him to smile. Rhodes expressed his desire to quickly exit the scene to let The Rock have his moment.
The American Nightmare acknowledged that Brian Gewirtz might have a valid point. The WWE Undisputed Champion clarified that he did not intentionally display a negative expression. He was surprised by the intense focus on him at that moment and wanted to exit the scene as quickly as possible.
Following the backlash, WWE eventually booked Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. This also sparked a heated rivalry, leading to Cody Rhodes teaming up with Seth Rollins to face The Rock and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
