10 Things We Learned From American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes

9. Xavier Woods’ Master Plan

Cody Rhodes Documentary
WWE/Peacock

Xavier Woods wanted to wrestle Cody for decades. Literally.

The New Day man told cameras during the doc that he and Rhodes wrestled amateur for rival schools during their formative years. Get this: Xavier's grand plan was to beat Cody in front of a watching Dusty. Why? Well, he hoped the 'American Dream' might be impressed and agree to train him for the pros.

Then, all going well, that'd be Woods' ticket into WWE. There was one big flaw in his scheming though - Dusty was mindful of stealing the spotlight whenever Cody was wrestling, so he was never actually front and centre at the matches. Instead, dad watched from a distance so full focus went on his boy.

Xavier couldn't have known that at the time. He simply saw Cody as a rival that could help him get one step closer to his own pro wrestling ambitions. Why the hell has nobody pitched this storyline during WWE creative meetings?! Maybe they have!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.