Cody Rhodes

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The son of Dusty Rhodes and half-brother of Dustin Rhodes, Rhodes won two Georgia state high-school championships as an amateur wrestler in 2003 and 2004. He signed with WWE in 2006 and featured for its developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), where he won every title in the promotion. Between 2007 and 2016, he won seven world tag team championships with four different partners, as well as the Intercontinental Championship twice. During this time, he adopted various gimmicks, including performing as Stardust, a melodramatic spin-off of his brother's gimmick, Goldust. He departed WWE in 2016 and returned in 2022, and has since won the Royal Rumble match in 2023 and 2024, the inaugural WWE Crown Jewel Championship in 2024, the King of the Ring tournament in 2025, and the WWE Championship three times, becoming the promotion's 34th Triple Crown Champion. From 2016 until 2019, Rhodes wrestled on the independent circuit and for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and Ring of Honor (ROH) under the mononym Cody, during which he won the ROH World Championship, ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson), and the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship once each. In 2018, Rhodes and the Jacksons independently promoted All In, where he won the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship. All In marked the first event by a promoter outside of WWE or World Championship Wrestling (WCW) to sell 10,000 tickets in the United States since 1993 and directly led to the formation of AEW in early 2019. Between 2019 and 2022, Rhodes served as an executive vice president and also wrestled for AEW, becoming the inaugural and a three-time AEW TNT Champion. Between WWE, AEW, ROH, NJPW, and NWA, Rhodes has held 19 total championships (including five world titles). Outside of wrestling, Rhodes served as a judge on the competition television series Go-Big Show and starred with his wife Brandi Rhodes on the reality television series Rhodes to the Top.

In Their Own Story

The lights dimmed at Full Gear 2019 as Cody Rhodes stood opposite Kenny Omega in a match that would define AEW's first year. This was not merely a contest for supremacy; it was the culmination of a vision Rhodes helped build from the ground up alongside Tony Khan and other executives. The crowd roared as he executed his signature maneuvers, blending the technical precision learned during his time with Al Snow and Ricky Morton with the charisma inherited from his father, Dusty Rhodes. Although he eventually lost the match to Omega, the bout solidified AEW's reputation for delivering world-class wrestling immediately upon launch. Mike Tyson personally presented him with the belt, a moment that cemented his status as the face of the new promotion during its critical growth phase.

Reader's Guide

Rhodes was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 30, 1985, the son of Michelle Rubio and professional wrestler Dusty Rhodes. He is of Cuban descent through his maternal grandfather. He has a sister named Teil in addition to his paternal half-brother and fellow professional wrestler Dustin and a paternal half-sister named Kristin, who is a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. He is the nephew of professional wrestlers Jerry Sags and Fred Ottman, and the godson of professional wrestler Magnum T. A., who was present at both Rhodes's birth and baptism. He legally changed his surname to 'Runnels Rhodes' as a teenager. Rhodes grew up in Georgia and went to Lassiter High School in Marietta, where he had a successful high school wrestling career. He placed sixth in the 171 lb (78 kg) division as a sophomore. As a junior, he won the Georgia state tournament at 189 lb (86 kg) in 2003 and repeated as champion his senior year. He had planned to wrestle collegiately at Penn State University, but decided to become a professional wrestler instead. During his time in high school, Rhodes also acted as a referee in his father's Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling promotion. After graduating from high school, Rhodes moved to Los Angeles and studied acting at the Howard Fine Acting School for a year.

Did You Know?

• Rhodes won the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship at All In in 2018.
• Rhodes is a three-time AEW TNT Champion, having been the inaugural champion.
• All In was the first event by a promoter outside of WWE or WCW to sell 10,000 tickets in the US since 1993.

Origins and Inaugural Tournament

In September 2019, shortly before All Elite Wrestling launched its flagship program, Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes hinted at a future television championship while prioritizing existing titles. By early 2020, amidst speculation about a secondary belt, the promotion officially announced an eight-man single-elimination tournament on March 30 via their YouTube series. The competition commenced in April with the final slated for the Double or Nothing pay-per-view. This victory established a new tier within the company's hierarchy, fulfilling the vision of a dedicated television title requested by WarnerMedia for their TNT network partnership.

Reigns and Championship Evolution

Cody Rhodes' tenure as champion was defined by an aggressive 'open challenge' policy, where he defended the title nearly weekly against various opponents, including independent wrestlers. During his second reign in late 2020, a legal dispute with WWE forced him to lengthen his ring name from simply 'Cody' to 'Cody Rhodes.' His third title victory came on Christmas Day 2021 against Sammy Guevara at a Rampage special, setting up a rematch for the Battle of the Belts event. However, Rhodes missed that scheduled defense due to COVID-19 quarantine protocols, leading to an interim champion scenario where his brother Dustin faced Guevara. The situation culminated in January 2022 when Guevara defeated Rhodes in a ladder match on Dynamite to become the undisputed champion.

Tribute to Brodie Lee

The history of the TNT Championship is deeply intertwined with the tragic death of its second holder, Huber, known professionally as Mr. Brodie Lee. Following his unexpected passing in late December 2020, AEW honored him by retiring the specific red-strap belt design he had used during his reign.

Brand Identity and Status

Named after the TNT network following a direct request from WarnerMedia, this championship was designed to anchor AEW's television presence on that specific channel. Even as programming schedules shifted with Dynamite moving to TBS in early 2022, the title retained its original name rather than being rebranded; instead, a separate women's TBS Championship was created. Company President Tony Khan has consistently rejected the notion of this belt being a 'mid-card' or secondary title, insisting it is a top-tier championship held by stars. Despite this internal stance, the title experienced rapid turnover between 2022 and 2023, earning the nickname 'hot potato' from journalists due to its frequent changes in hands.