Cody Rhodes says he has to finish the story, and that means facing Roman Reigns again.
Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, so he has earned a title match of his choosing at WWE WrestleMania 40. Since Rhodes lost to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, many fans have assumed he would choose to face Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
During the WWE Royal Rumble post-show press conference, Steve Fall of WrestlingNewsCo asked Cody Rhodes whether he would officially say he was challenging Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
“I feel like everyone knew that,” he said. “I’m very glad that he decided to take the skybox seat because we could make it clear where we’re at. All the respect in the world to Seth Rollins. That title gains more prestige every single day. But WrestleMania 39 did happen. If you’re me, you can’t look at that, and you can’t run from it. I don’t know, WrestleMania 40, Monday Night RAW, SummerSlam, I don’t know. Elimination Chamber? I want to be back in the back in the ring with Roman Reigns, and I want to finish the story. I detest the statement now because apparently everybody’s got a story.
“Punk wanted his story, Drew had a story, everyone’s got a story. But a big part for me, if anyone who knows me knows me in this room, I’m very big on keeping my word. So I say something that’s silly on TV but it’s a promise, I intend to keep the promise. So I don’t know if two times is the charm with Roman, we’ll see. But finish the story, hopefully by 2K25 [laughs]. Just because I don’t think they’re going to put me on the cover or anything close if I don’t get it done.”
Cody Rhodes Comments On Going Back-To-Back
During the press conference, Cody Rhodes was also asked to describe what it meant to him to become the first back-to-back Royal Rumble matches since Steve Austin in 1998. He emphasized that it meant a lot to him to join a special group of performers.
“You kind of stumped me because it’s such a good stat,” Cody Rhodes said. “I don’t have a lot of good stats. I laughed tonight, I look at Randy, when he came out, it said 20-time champion. Dog, I’m just trying to be a one-time champion. 20 times, Randy? 20 times? To be listed with guys like that, Hulk Hogan, who helped put WWE on the map, Shawn Michaels, my personal favorite as a kid. Like I said, being a Cody fan wasn’t easy, when I was a kid, being a Shawn fan wasn’t that easy. He had chaps, fingerless gloves, it’s a choice, you know, but I was into Shawn Michaels.
“Then ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, who is the most prosperous and profitable sports entertainer there ever was. So to be able to say I’m in that mix, it makes me very happy, and I’m very blessed, very lucky to be in this spot. I know the spot I’m in. I know how one been treated by this team and WWE and everybody in this room. If it all ends tomorrow, it’s been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. But it’s not gonna end tomorrow because we still gotta finish the damn story.”
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