Backstage Update On When WWE Decided On Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania 39 Loss
Latest details on Cody Rhodes' controversial WrestleMania 39 loss to Roman Reigns.
Cody Rhodes' loss to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 may have felt like a bolt from the blue for fans who reasonably assumed 'The American Nightmare' would end WWE's longest modern title reign at 'The Show of Shows', but the decision was seemingly made weeks ago.
This is according to Fightful Select, who, in 'Mania's aftermath, report that people were informed of the plan to have Reigns go over Rhodes "several weeks ago." There's no word on when the talent were informed, though people within WWE had started defending the idea of Roman beating Cody over the past week too.
Many of the WM39 main event's interferences weren't communicated to talent, officials, and other ringside staff until the day of the show.
WWE sources have claimed that Executive Chairman Vince McMahon was not involved in the decision-making process. The report states, too, that once the 77-year-old was ousted as CEO and Chairman last July, WWE put the plans for Rhodes to compete against Reigns at WrestleMania in motion.
Rhodes had emerged as a white-hot WWE babyface in the build to WrestleMania 39, doing so simultaneously with Sami Zayn, who ate his own heartbreaking loss to Reigns at Elimination Chamber 2023.