Cody Rhodes will main event WrestleMania 40, where he could take the reigns as WWE's new golden boy.
2024 could be the time to finish the story.
In a historic win, Cody Rhodes outlasted the returning CM Punk and 28 others to win the 2024 Royal Rumble Sunday (PHL), setting the stage for what should be a rematch against Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
Rhodes, who joined Hulk Hogan, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Batista, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, John Cena, Edge, and Stone Cold Steve Austin as multi-time Rumble winners, says he’s ready to be the face of the business.
“Here’s the news, here’s the headline: I am the guy. And I have been the guy,” a vindicated Rhodes said following the win, which also allowed him to join Hogan, Michaels, and Stone Cold as the only men to win a Royal Rumble back-to-back.
“I am a three-count or a submission away from being the quarterback of the greatest and most prosperous era in the history of sports entertainment,” he added.
The most obvious next step for Cody now is to once again challenge Reigns for the Undisputed title, and Rhodes was not shy to make his intentions known.
Both main eventers have largely stayed out of each other’s way since WrestleMania 39 when Reigns retained at the expense of Rhodes, but the rematch looks like it’s essentially set.
“You can’t run from it,” Rhodes said. “I want to be back in the ring with Roman Reigns, and I want to finish the story.”
After winning last year’s Royal Rumble at no. 30, Rhodes entered this year’s event at 15 and lasted 43 and a half minutes.
Cody eliminated Austin Theory, Shinsuke Nakamura, last year’s runner-up in Gunther, and CM Punk, who made his first televised match in 10 years, or since the 2014 Rumble.
Speaking of Punk, the returning “Best in the World” entered at the favorable no. 27 spot but couldn’t quite finish his own story. The final four for this year’s men’s Royal Rumble were Rhodes, Punk, Gunther and Drew McIntyre.