100 Greatest WWE WrestleMania Moments
38. Cody Rhodes Returns Home (WrestleMania 38)
Wrestling has more than one royal family.
The biz also has more than one major company, which is why it was shocking to see Cody Rhodes trade the organisation he helped create and build for the one that sickened him to his stomach in 2016. The phrase unfinished business would just about cover it. Cody needed to launch a WWE comeback and set things straight. He couldn't retire with a 'what if?' question hanging over his head.
Rumours began during the earlier months of 2022, then they gathered pace as WrestleMania 38 loomed. Seth Rollins entered and waited to find out who his pre-selected mystery opponent would be. That's when everyone's brains melted and Cody's AEW theme started playing over the speakers. No jump between both promotions felt bigger than this one, but Rhodes focused on finishing his family's story rather than bitter backbiting at Tony Khan's league.
Thank God for that.
Rollins sold the comeback like he was seeing a ghost, and millions of fingers frantically punched characters into phones as Twitter/X creaked under the weight of conversation. Everyone wanted to have their two cents about 'AEW Cody' returning to WWE and re-debuting at Wrestle-freakin-Mania. It was giant. Giant.
Lesser workers would've been satisfied with the return and started treading water after that, but not Rhodes. It says everything for the man that he's gone on to live out several even more impressive moments since 2022. Anyone addicted to goosebumps should revisit 'Mania 38 and listen to the thrilling response to his music. People knew who it was instantly.