Why Cody Rhodes deserves wrestling's Purple Heart for his performance at WWE Hell in a Cell
Very few performances in WWE history will burn an image in your mind forever. These are the moments that stand out among the biggest of the big. Whether it's Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant while thousands of camera bulbs were flashing, or listening to 70,000 people come alive when The Rock and Stone Cold met at the Astrodome. These are the seconds and minutes that tell the true story of Vince McMahon's entertainment empire.
Every WWE legend has had at least one star-making moment like that. For Cody Rhodes, his may have come at Hell in a Cell in what will be remembered as one of the gutsiest performances of all time.
Walking into Chicago's Allstate Arena, no one really knew what to expect from The American Nightmare. He was entering a Hell in a Cell match against one of the promotion's premier performers, Seth Rollins.
RHODES vs. ROLLINS III: Hell in a Cell
TONIGHT 8/7c @peacockTV @WWENetwork
@CodyRhodes @WWERollins #HIAC https://t.co/62jI2o6YkI
There was also an important sidebar to this story: Cody Rhodes was performing with a gruesome injury. A torn pectoral muscle suffered earlier in the week had left his chest and part of his right arm as purple as Grimace in those old McDonald's commercials.
But just like his famous father before him, Cody wasn't going to let any pain or suffering stop him. Blood, sweat, and tears weren't enough this time. He would risk a permanent injury if need be, but he was determined to slay the dragon and give everyone exactly what they paid to see.
At Hell in a Cell, Cody Rhodes wrote a huge chapter of his WWE legacy
In a symbolic sense, Rhodes walked into battle as a wounded warrior, and came out of it all with valor. While sports entertainment can never be compared to real-life combat, Cody was seemingly fighting for his life inside that cage.
For several years, The American Nightmare was maligned by some fans as being spoiled and entitled. At times, he and his wife, Brandi, got on the nerves of some observers. There always seemed to be a little venom saved up for The Grandson of a Plumber just below the surface.
And for his part, Cody didn't always mind being a lightning rod of controversy. Especially when he was considered a spokesman for the upstart AEW promotion.
Today, he's viewed under a totally different lens, and his re-emergence in WWE has been like a hero returning home from battle. He's been to other parts of the wrestling world, only to return home more decorated and battle-tested than ever.
Thank you @CodyRhodes. 👏👏👏
#HIAC https://t.co/SJAmOp6EjW
On Sunday night, that warrior had to rally once more. He had to pick up his flag and forge on, despite all the odds against him. On an evening where no one would have blamed him if he went half-speed, he charged forward.
Cody Rhodes earned his professional wrestling purple heart at Hell in a Cell. He won his war with Seth Freakin' Rollins, and he did it in the most heroic way possible.
He may have been wounded, but he found a way. That's what makes this his moment of glory and honor, and one of the greatest in recent WWE memory.