10 Things We Learned From WWE WrestleMania Weekend 2022

5. The WWE Codyverse

Gunter Ludwig Kaiser
WWE.com

Cody Rhodes appeared on WWE television twice over WrestleMania weekend and instantly inserted himself in the conversation as one of the only viable contenders that could topple Roman Reigns as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

As is the case typically with the 'American Nightmare', none of it passed without discussion on everything else too. The fascinating long-term story he kicked off on the post-WrestleMania Raw was almost AEW-like in its execution - it's unlikely Rhodes will compete for the title immediately, but now everybody knows the goal, it can be revisited when the timing's right.

A handshake with Seth Rollins followed, without confirming if that reflected a babyface turn for the 'Drip God', if he even is a heel considering the reaction his entrance generates. And already it's happening - Rhodes is a magnet for this specific type of discussion, and the longer he can hold onto that mantle whilst once again ingrained as a WWE Superstar the better.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett