Cody Rhodes secured his spot at WrestleMania XL by winning the Royal Rumble for the second consecutive year, opting to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Additionally, on Night One, he’ll join forces with Seth Rollins to face The Rock and Reigns in a high-stakes tag team showdown.
His Royal Rumble victory showcased Rhodes’s prowess, eliminating four competitors, including Shinsuke Nakamura, with whom he had a heated feud leading up to the event.
Their clash escalated with Nakamura’s taunting vignettes, culminating in a Bull Rope Match, paying homage to Rhodes’s father, Dusty Rhodes.
Despite not being booked for WrestleMania’s main card, Nakamura will participate in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, potentially seeking vengeance against Rhodes, his last intense rival.
Recently committing to a multi-year deal with WWE, Rhodes shelved retirement plans, reinvigorated by new opportunities within the company. However, his ongoing feud with The Rock took an unexpected turn at a WrestleMania 40 press event, with the two exchanging heated words and physical altercations.
With The Rock’s impending Hollywood commitments post-WrestleMania, their feud might transition into a singles match when scheduling permits.
In the interim, Rhodes could find himself in another confrontation with Nakamura, providing a much-needed boost for the latter’s career trajectory.
Nakamura’s recent struggles, marked by losses and missed opportunities, underscore his need for a decisive win, potentially over Rhodes, to reignite his momentum. Such an outcome would lay the groundwork for a renewed series of clashes, ensuring both wrestlers remain in the spotlight post-WrestleMania.
As Rhodes navigates his current challenges against Reigns and The Rock, addressing unfinished business with Nakamura post-WrestleMania XL could offer a compelling storyline, further solidifying Rhodes’s position as the company’s underdog and face of the future.
