Last 5 wrestlers to pin Cody Rhodes in WWE
Cody Rhodes is currently the top babyface in WWE and has defeated numerous iconic names. Amidst all his big wins, though, he has also ended up on the losing side many times.
The American Nightmare is all set to main-event his second consecutive WrestleMania this year. He secured his spot by winning back-to-back Royal Rumble matches. Thus, it's fair to state that he has momentum on his side.
However, Cody's story would've been significantly less interesting, had there not been a plethora of hurdles in his path through the years. Yes, it's true that he has a stellar win-loss record since his return to WWE in 2022. Yet, the losses he incurred over the years shaped him into the incredibly popular superstar that he is today.
That said, let's take a look at the last five wrestlers who pinned Rhodes on WWE TV.
#5 Drew McIntyre (RAW, February 19, 2024)
While Cody Rhodes is on his way to becoming the face of the company, there's another performer who's been on an absolute roll for months. The superstar in question is Drew McIntyre.
Despite a lackluster 2023 for the most part, The Scottish Warrior turned things around right before 2024 arrived. McIntyre's recent heel turn has let fans see his charismatic side, which he hadn't been able to let out before the turn.
As a result of his exceptional work, he's been in the mix with almost all the top names on the red brand. In addition to injuring CM Punk and being a menace in Sami Zayn's story, the 2020 Royal Rumble winner regularly crosses paths with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
During the latest episode of WWE RAW, McIntyre clashed with The American Nightmare. In a match that many thought would end in a no contest, The Scottish Warrior picked up the win, with some help of course. Thus, he became the only second wrestler to pin Cody Rhodes in his current WWE run.
#4 Roman Reigns (WrestleMania 39 Night Two)
Along with Drew McIntyre, Roman Reigns is the only superstar to have a pinfall victory over Cody Rhodes in the last two years.
The Tribal Chief put his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against The Dashing One at the Show of Shows last year. The match turned out to be a classic and had viewers on the edge of their seats. For the first time in a while, it was looking like Reigns might actually lose.
However, fans didn't get the happy ending they were clamoring for. Just when Cody was moments away from securing the win, The Bloodline's Enforcer, Solo Sikoa, appeared from behind and hit the challenger with a Samoan Spike.
The interference was followed by Reigns hitting Cody with a spear and then covering him for a three-count. Since that night, the Georgia native has been working tirelessly to get another crack at the top prize.
#3 Zack Ryder (WWE Superstars, May 20, 2016)
Cody Rhodes' first WWE run didn't end on a pleasant note. Up until his final day in the company, he had to play the Stardust character, depriving fans of the true potential of the man behind the flashy makeup and singlet.
In his last match before departing for the independent circuit, he faced his real-life friend, Zack Ryder. Their collision took place on an episode of WWE Superstars in 2016.
Despite both superstars being in the lower midcard at the time, they got a good amount of time to put on a watchable match. The contest would've received even more appreciation, had it been put on one of the flagship shows for more viewers to see.
The match ended with the former Internet Champion picking up the victory. That was the end of the 'undesirable' part of Cody's wrestling arc.
#2 Apollo Crews (picked up two wins over Rhodes)
Apollo Crews is among the most underutilized stars of the current era of wrestling. Whenever he gets a chance to showcase his talent inside the ring, he never ceases to remind everyone that he has all the tools to succeed.
In fact, he defeated Cody Rhodes not once but twice in the latter's last three matches on WWE TV. Considering that Cody is now a two-time Royal Rumble winner who could very well end Roman Reigns' historic title reign, it should also speak about how good Crews is.
Circling back to 2016, the former Intercontinental Champion's first win against Stardust happened at the May 10 edition of WWE Main Event. Possibly assuming that Crews' victory was a fluke, Stardust got a rematch three nights later at WWE Superstars.
However, much to the 38-year-old superstar's disappointment, the instant rematch didn't have a different result. It'll be interesting to see if WWE books another match between the two, if the Nigerian superstar becomes a TV regular in the near future.
#1 Dolph Ziggler (WWE Main Event, May 3, 2016)
Since April 2022, only two superstars have pinned Cody Rhodes. In May 2016 alone, three wrestlers were able to keep him down for a three-count.
Before losing to Apollo Crews and Zack Ryder in his final few outings at WWE, Stardust collided with The Showoff, Dolph Ziggler. While there was no chance that the flamboyant enigma would triumph over a former World Heavyweight Champion, he wasn't going down without a fight.
The match was quite competitive, which, in hindsight, is interesting because WWE was planning to insert Dolph in the World Championship picture in a couple of months. So, for him to have a back-and-forth match against Stardust showed that the company hadn't lost all hope in the over-the-top gimmick.
Now, with Cody's stock at an all-time high, a rematch between the two would be very exciting. Unfortunately, chances of it happening are highly unlikely, as The Showoff is no longer in the company.