#4. Cody Rhodes Proved that he is the Quarterback
This past week on SmackDown, a bold and confident Cody Rhodes told SmackDown General Manager that he is “QB 1” and was above the law. If the last twelve months are any indication, it is hard to disagree with Rhodes.
The American Nightmare began the year with a courageous performance in an all-time Ladder match with Kevin Owens at Royal Rumble 2025. This match was an absolute war. Over the next few months, Rhodes went through a rough patch as he lost the WWE Championship to a heel John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 41: Night Two.
Fortunately, Rhodes’ misery didn’t last long as he quickly returned to his winning ways. The American Nightmare successfully teamed with Jey Uso to defeat Cena and Logan Paul at Money in the Bank 2025. A few weeks later, he defeated his mentor, Randy Orton, to become the King of the Ring, earning a WWE Title match against the “Never Seen 17” at SummerSlam.
In the main event of SummerSlam: Night Two, Rhodes defeated Cena in an instant classic to regain the WWE Championship. Cena had passed the torch to the American Nightmare, who was now the company’s certified face. The last quarter of 2025 was a mixed bag for Rhodes as he was locked in an underwhelming feud with Drew McIntyre. Nonetheless, the American Nightmare ends an eventful year as the WWE Champion.
