Cody Rhodes

[Grimmas]

HowtobeaMark said: 
 

Has transformed himself into one of the most important wrestlers in the world today. Has shown great character diversity with Legacy, Dashing, Stardust, American Nightmare etc. Has had some of the most emotionally charged matches of recent years and is proving himself to be one of the best on the mic. Think it is time he gets at least evaluated amongst the top names the business has ever produced.

Recommended Matches

Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs The Shield - 6 October 2013

Cody Rhodes vs Dustin Rhodes - 25 May 2019

Cody Rhodes vs Seth Rollins  - 5 June 2022

[KawadaSmile]

Basically everything he's produced since coming back to WWE has been a hit. Even something like him vs Dominik Mysterio was fun an enjoyable just on the strength of his presence (and Dom, despite not being that experienced, is a great heel, so he certainly helped).

His AEW work had ups and downs, with him having to rely on progressively crazier bumps (an inverted superplex to a flaming table? why?), but his match against Dustin is easily his greatest one ever, with the Rollins trilogy following. His match against Darbin was also really good for both men. 

I also really enjoyed his match against Roman, even with the very controversial ending, and the '23 Rumble finishing stretch against GUNTHER is fantastic. 

 

Not too high on his work on the indies and Impact. He was out there facing just about the hottest names on the circuit and had just merely good matches.

[Tetsujin]

The guy had a lot of potential and basically every single one of his phases in his first WWE run was a hit, except Stardust.

Then he left, and became of the absolute worst wrestlers in the world. His ceiling was, idk, maybe a ***1/2 match with a good opponent like Juice Robinson or something. His AEW run is super hit or miss, more misses than hits to me. Now that he's back in WWE he seems to have found his place once again, although I still don't enjoy his current presentation, ringwork style nor his overall attitude.

So, no chance.

[Microstatistics]

He carries himself well and has become quite the star but the fact that he wasn't even nominated till very recently is telling. His actual in-ring work isn't something to write home about. 

[EnviousStupid]

He's a guy I'd figure has more great promos and moments than great matches. Even when travelling the world and working all the indies and New Japan, he was never a guy touted for in-ring work. I think his peak work lies in AEW, but you also have the lows (Ogogo) and downright baffling period of him never turning heel and having his own stories feel disconnected from the rest of the show.

[Microstatistics]

On 8/25/2023 at 6:05 PM, Microstatistics said:

He carries himself well and has become quite the star but the fact that he wasn't even nominated till very recently is telling. His actual in-ring work isn't something to write home about. 

Yeah, maybe I should do proper deep dives before I make claims like these. The three matches below are all great, worked quite distinctly role-wise, and tell unique stories at the different phases in his career/life. His formulaic match beats are perhaps not the most compelling wrestling in the world but he is always a solid hand and is fundamentally really quite strong and stylistically versatile.

vs. Chris Jericho (AEW, 11/9/2019)

vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 11/7/2020)

vs. Roman Reigns (WWE, 4/7/2024)

[Wrestlingfan0808]

On 7/26/2023 at 4:05 PM, Grimmas said:

HowtobeaMark said: 
 

Has transformed himself into one of the most important wrestlers in the world today. Has shown great character diversity with Legacy, Dashing, Stardust, American Nightmare etc. Has had some of the most emotionally charged matches of recent years and is proving himself to be one of the best on the mic. Think it is time he gets at least evaluated amongst the top names the business has ever produced.

Recommended Matches

Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs The Shield - 6 October 2013

Cody Rhodes vs Dustin Rhodes - 25 May 2019

Cody Rhodes vs Seth Rollins  - 5 June 2022

Recommended matches in no order

Any of his tag matches involving his brother from 2013-2014. The Battleground tag is the one that’s received a lot of praised over the years and rightfully so, but they also have a bunch of sick tag matches on raw, smackdown, some other ppvs, and even on main event.

Vs Roman Reigns, Wrestlemania 39 and 40

Vs Aj Styles Backalsh 2024, Clash at the Castle 2024

Vs Seth Rollins Hell in a Cell 2022, Wrestlemania 38, and Wrestlemania Backlash

Vs Brodie Lee Dog Collar match, AEW Dynamite (sick squash match/angle)

Vs Kevin Owens Royal Rumble 2025, Bash in Berlin 2024

Vs Eddie Kingston AEW Dynamite 2020

Vs Solo Sikoa Smackdown 2024 (September 13)

Vs Darby Allin Full gear 2020, AEW homecoming 2020, AEW Fyter Fest 2019. Their series of matches is extremely underrated in AEW lore

Vs Gunther Crown Jewel 2024

Vs Chad Gable Smackdown 2024

Vs Chris Jericho Full Gear 2019

Vs Shane Strickland DEFY1 Legacy 2017

Vs Kurt Angle Steel Cage Match NEW Wrestlefest XXI

Vs Wardlow AEW Dynamite 2020

Vs Kyle O’Reilly DEFY4 Gigantic 2017

Vs Dustin AEW DON 2019

Vs Brock Lesnar Summerslam 2023, Night of Champions 2023, Backlash 2023

Vs Lance Archer AEW DON 2020

Vs Jay Lethal ROH Supercard Of Honor XI

Vs John Cena Summerslam 2025

Vs Rey Mysterio Wrestlemania 27, Extreme Rules 2011 

Vs Christian No Way Out 2012

Vs Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi NJPW King Of Pro-Wrestling 2018

Vs Nick Aldis NWA 70th Anniversary Show

Vs the Golden Lovers ROH/NJPW Honor Rising: Japan 2018

Vs Sammy Guevara AEW Dynamite Beach Break 2022

Vs Logan Paul (yeah I know) WWE Queen And King Of The Ring 2024

with Hangman vs the Golden Lovers NJPW Sakura Genesis 2018

with Dusty Rhodes and Goldust vs Curt Hawkins and The Dudebusters 

Vs Will Ospreay ROH/NJPW War Of The Worlds 2017

Vs Drew McIntyre RAW 2024, Smackdown 2026

There’s a bunch more stuff from his Indy run, his short time in TNA, New Japan, AEW, and even WWE that range from good to great, but I have already said too much. I’m aware he’s been nominated already but I wanted to add more matches to highlight what he’s done.