As the main event of WrestleMania 42 rapidly approaches, Cody Rhodes is looking to redefine his championship legacy. Following his emotional victory over Drew McIntyre on SmackDown to reclaim the Undisputed WWE Title, “The American Nightmare” is now preparing for a massive showdown against his former mentor, Randy Orton, in Las Vegas.
Outrunning the Competition on the Treadmill
During a recent appearance on Complex’s Graps the Podcast, Rhodes discussed the labels that have been placed on him throughout his career. He specifically addressed the “golden boy” tag, which is often used by detractors to imply he has been handed his opportunities. Rather than rejecting the term, Rhodes has decided to embrace it as a badge of honor.
“I heard someone say ‘golden boy’, and I loved it,” Rhodes admitted. “I thought, ‘okay, maybe I’ll lean into that’, and maybe that’s the identity of this reign.” He suggested that his WrestleMania ring gear might even be designed to reflect this new moniker. Rhodes emphasized that his success is the result of working harder than anyone else in the industry. “I’m certainly out there in terms of output… I’m outrunning everybody on the treadmill right now, even the guy I consider my largest competition.”
For Rhodes, this upcoming match against Orton is about more than just the championship; it is about establishing a definitive identity that separates this reign from his previous runs. “I’d like this reign to give me an identity that perhaps I’ve been seeking,” he concluded. With CM Punk also scheduled to defend the World Heavyweight Title against Roman Reigns on the same weekend, the pressure is on Rhodes to prove that the “Golden Boy” is indeed the standard-bearer for the modern era of WWE.