10 Attempted WWE Repackages That Failed Miserably

Cody Rhodes performed the Stardust gimmick with such zest and vigour that nobody could’ve known just how miserable he’d become behind the scenes. Such commitment speaks volumes to Cody’s professionalism, but the frustration of being stuck as a lower-midcard novelty act slowly built-up over the years, and eventually led to Rhodes’ release earlier this year.

Now turned loose on the independent circuit, Rhodes is free to perform however he sees fit. He first became Stardust while working with his brother, Goldust, through 2014. Adopting similar facepaint, mannerisms, and attire to his brother, Stardust was obsessed with the cosmos, and while initially a fun distraction, the gimmick quickly became an egregious misuse of a celebrated second generation superstar.

The fact that Cody is Dusty Rhodes’ son alone should protect him from such questionable direction, and it’s only compounded by Cody’s skill between the ropes and on the microphone.

Stardust became listless towards the act’s end, and Rhodes was used as no more than a gap-filler. He allegedly requested to wrestle under his real name again in the months leading-up to his release, but creative said “no” and WWE parted ways with a big asset. This repackaging effectively killed Cody Rhodes’ career prospects in WWE, and the company’s reluctance to ditch it proved fatal.