In our latest wrestling list, we will be looking at our picks for the best matches of the American Nightmare: Cody Rhodes!
Introduction
Thank goodness he finally finished the story… Despite taking an extra year to accomplish it and alongside the constant pessimism of wrestling fans, Cody finally beat Roman to become WWE undisputed Universal Champion. And just in time to get obliterated by Gunther as well… That aside, the win cemented Cody by doing what his legendary father and brother could never do: win the WWE Championship. So, with his coronation just settling, we thought we’d take a look at the very best of the American Nightmare’s matches and rank them. So with all of this out of the way, here are our picks for the best matches of Cody Rhodes’s career so far…
10. Cody vs Nick Aldis – 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship (NWA 70th Anniversary Show)
Hands up, how many of you don’t even remember this match taking place, let alone Nick Aldis winning the NWA Championship back? While many people remember their match at the one-off All In (which is just as good and was probably number 11), nowhere near as many people remember the epic rematch. As you’d expect from a Rhodes in a NWA World Championship match, it’s full of every wrestling cliche under the sun as Rhodes attempts to be the battling babyface against the much bigger Aldis. Also, some of the near falls here are heart stoppingly close but if you ever needed evidence that Cody’s decision to quit WWE initially was the right choice seek this match out.
9. Cody vs Kenny Omega (ROH Supercard of Honour XII)
Considering how connected Cody and Kenny Omega have been, it feels odd that they’ve had so few singles matches. Set during the height of the Bullet Club Civil War, this match has often divided opinion which is understandable when Cody spent more time threatening to scrap fans than Kenny. However, look past this and you have a very good match full of Kenny attempting to decapitate Cody with V Triggers. Oh and the small matter of Brandi Rhodes, Cody’s wife, eating one as well. Whilst the outside drama and Cody’s weird obsession with taunting the fans does distract from the match, it’s still a cracking match between two men who really should have wrestled in AEW yet never did.
8. Cody Rhodes vs Seth Rollins III – Hell in a Cell Match (WWE Hell in a Cell 2022)
Ahh yes, the match where Cody told medical advice to suck it and wrestled a Hell in a Cell match with his pec looking like he was smuggling beetroots. Whilst the memes are very funny, what elevates this match is just how well Cody sells the relentless attacks on his pec. Although it may not have been that hard given how much a torn pec must kill. Anyway, this match does get quite uncomfortable with this layer given Seth starts whipping Cody and driving a kendo stick into his chest. However, like many Cody matches the bit which really makes this is how despite all the pain he endures, he channels the purest babyface energy to win. Honestly a tough but great watch.
7. Cody vs Darby Allin – (AEW Fyter Fest 2019)
Now we go from a match where Cody shows his body reckless abandon to one where he takes advantage of his opponents reckless bodily abandon. That sounds bad out of context to be fair…. Anyway, this match was one of AEW’s early highlights as despite ending in a draw both men hook the audience in phenomenally. The story is simple: Cody uses his size and power to dominate Allin but despite all this he continually underestimates him. Think of that cliche about the heart and fight of the dog…
Now, this match is notable for two awful spots which make you wonder how Darby Allin has a spine still. One is a Coffin Drop back first onto the apron and the other is him flipping and hitting the ring post and then bouncing to the floor. Again, like Cody’s third match with Seth it’s often brutal but very much a necessary watch for Cody fans.
6. Cody vs Sammy Guevara – Ladder Match for the AEW TNT Championship (AEW Beach Break 2021)
Speaking of necessary matches for Cody fans to watch, his AEW bow is definitely one of those. After some frankly underwhelming hot potatoing between the pair in the lead up to this climactic ladder match, fans could be forgiven for assuming this would be a fairly rotten affair. However, what they got was the complete opposite. Evidence of this is the instantly GIF worthy spot of Sammy jumping from one ladder to deliver a Cutter to Cody off the other ladder. That’s not even including both men throwing caution to the wind and launching each other into and onto ladders. A wonderful sendoff for one of the key founders of AEW which really should have done more for Sammy’s TNT title reign than it did.
5. Cody vs Chris Jericho – AEW World Championship (AEW Full Gear 2019)
Now looking back pulling this card so early into AEW’s run really did hamstring Cody’s card positioning but that aside this is a phenomenal story packed match. Basically, the story going into this match was if Cody couldn’t beat Jericho, he’d never again be able to challenge for the AEW World Championship, period. Now if you ever needed stakes for a match those are pretty damn great. Oh, and obviously the match is great with it harkening back to Cody’s NWA style matches full of tension and heartstopping near falls. However, what a match even if it did hamstring Cody in the long run but credit to AEW for not going back on the stipulation.
4. The Rhodes Brothers vs Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns (WWE Battleground 2013)
What’s better than one Rhodes? Two Rhodes and why should we stop there…. Anyway, cheesy segue aside, this is a remarkable tag match which really underscores the fact that the Rhodes brothers should really have won the AEW Tag Team Championships at least once. Whilst many may prefer their rematch on Raw, this match is arguably better as it doesn’t feature any added Big Show. Now, with the Rhodes Brother’s careers on the line if they lost this match there’s already plenty of tension before a fantastic example of southern wrestling blended with sports entertainment. Also, the fact Dusty Rhodes gets to bust out the Bionic Elbow is the icing on top of an emotional cake. Oh what could have been for the Rhodes Brothers in AEW….
3. Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns II – WWE Undisputed Universal Championship (WWE Wrestlemania 40 – Night 2)
And so we come to the reason we’ve made this list as Cody finally finished the story despite the sheer amount of pessimism some of us fans had. Anyway, this match was arguably too overbooked but my god it kind of felt worth it in the end. Firstly, it once again played off the Roman feeling like he never got even from Seth’s betrayal of the Shield as instead of hitting Cody to retain the championship, Roman hit Seth allowing Cody to recover. This doesn’t even factor run-ins from Undertaker, The Rock, Solo Sikoa, John Cena, Seth Rollins and the Shield entrance music. Whilst that is a lot my god it felt satisfying for Cody to finally end Roman’s record breaking reign. The very definition of excesses equalling better…
2. Cody Rhodes vs Seth Rollins (WWE Wrestlemania 38 – Night 2)
And from Cody’s most recent WWE match to the match which reintroduced him into the WWE fold. Similarly to CM Punk’s return last year, this return was the company’s worst kept secret as it was a matter of if not when he’d return. And lo and behold, he emerged to Kingdom at Wrestlemania to a thunderous pop and proceeded to have match of the night with Seth Rollins. Whilst the match itself is good, this is arguably his second best match because of how molten the crowd were for the American Nightmare. Oh, and obviously the match is bonkers fun with Cody not missing a beat considering his inactivity post Beach Break.
1. Cody vs Dustin Rhodes (AEW Double or Nothing 2019)
And Cody Rhodes’s best match so far, in our opinion, is his match with Dustin Rhodes at AEW Double or Nothing 2019. Now why does this match place this high? Simply put, because it embodies everything the Rhodes family is to wrestling. Intense matches full of storytelling and gothic levels of blood and violence. Now, this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea as seen by the ring canvas looking like a scene from Game of Thrones afterwards. However, if you’re a fan of proper old school NWA style southern wrestling this match is right up your street as its all about Dustin trying to prove to his younger brother that he can still go at the same pace as him and that he’s not over the hill. A fantastic match if you can stomach it.
