Best and worst moments of Cody Rhodes' 200 days as Undisputed WWE Champion
When Cody Rhodes made his WWE return at WrestleMania 38, he made his intentions clear; he wanted to "finish the story." Cody was hungry for the prize that had eluded him and his father, the WWE Championship. Starting with a win over Seth Rollins, Cody set the tone for this new chapter in his career.
After going through hell with The Bloodline, Cody Rhodes went through a two-night gauntlet at WrestleMania 40, culminating with the title win over Roman Reigns on Night Two. It was official, the story was complete and Cody had successfully achieved his biggest career accomplishment, becoming the Undisputed WWE Champion. Now, with 200 days as the title holder, we take a look back at his historic reign.
Here are our best and worst moments of Cody Rhodes' 200 days as Undisputed WWE Champion:
Worst - SummerSlam Main Event falls flat vs. Solo Sikoa
The storyline between The Bloodline and Cody Rhodes was one of the most compelling angles in recent memory. With Roman Reigns becoming one of the greatest world champions ever, he carried the saga to heights no one could've predicted. The chemistry he shared with Cody Rhodes was far above anything else we have witnessed in a long time.
Following Cody's massive win over Reigns at WrestleMania, Roman took a hiatus, putting a new man at the head of the table, Solo Sikoa. As Solo started to pick up momentum as the new Tribal Chief, it was only fitting he went after Cody's title. The stage was set at SummerSlam for Solo's biggest moment. While the reviews have been mixed, the consensus is that this match was a letdown.
Best - WWE Clash at the Castle: Cody and AJ Styles battle in an epic "I quit" Match
AJ Styles set the wrestling world on fire when he made his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble 2016. After dominating in every ring he stepped in, it was time for AJ to prove he was capable of shining under the biggest spotlight in the entire wrestling industry.
With legendary feuds against The Undertaker, Kevin Owens, and other top stars, AJ set his sights on Cody Rhodes and the Undisputed WWE Championship. After a series of amazing matches, AJ and Cody kicked off Clash at the Castle: Scotland with a classic "I Quit" Match." AJ gave Cody all he could handle, and then some. After 30 minutes of back-and-forth action, Cody came out on top when AJ shouted "I quit!" as Cody lunged towards him with the steel steps.
This was one of Cody's best matches since becoming the champion. The storytelling was next level, and the action was equally compelling.
Worst - King and Queen of the Ring: Cody Rhodes defends his title against Logan Paul
Logan Paul is an interesting phenomenon for wrestling fans. Coming into WWE, there was a lot of doubt surrounding the social media mogul, regarding whether he could make it as a WWE Superstar. However, Logan proved the naysayers wrong and became a tremendous star.
During the May 10 episode of SmackDown, Nick Aldis announced that Logan Paul would be next up to square off against Cody Rhodes. With only two weeks to build a storyline, this was nothing to write home about. The two superstars met up at King and Queen of the Ring in a champion vs. champion match. The contest ultimately ended with Cody coming out on top, but it was far from a main event caliber bout.
Best - RAW after 'Mania: The Final Boss confronts Cody Rhodes
WrestleMania 40 went down as a major success. With two nights of stellar matches, and epic stories, 'Mania was one for the books. The Bloodline saga was the centerpiece of this massive event, but the supporting matches certainly helped make the weekend an event that will be talked about for years to come.
Typically speaking, RAW after WrestleMania is one of the highest-rated and most anticipated shows of the year. This year was no different as Cody Rhodes and Triple H opened the show, with The Rock making an appearance as well.
The Final Boss informed Cody that he had business to tend to. The segment was long, but impactful, and planted a seed for the continuation of the storyline.