Despite having a career spanning 19 years and over 2000 matches, Cody Rhodes singled out his loss to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 as his favorite. Rhodes spoke with legendary sports writer and podcaster Bill Simmons, explaining how the crowd at SoFi Stadium is the reason for his ranking.
The American Nightmare described being in a guillotine choke as the moment he had his epiphany. Rhodes said, “[Reigns] had me in a guillotine choke. And you hear all these old timers talk about ‘Just stay right there (in the hold) and the people will react.’”
Rhodes added, “I remember I’m just slowly wiggling my head out. And I can hear an entire stadium where the sound goes up, starts to move. And I think, oh man, they’re into this. How blessed am I that they’re into this?”
Why Wrestlemania 39 is Cody Rhodes’s Favorite Match
Full episode with @CodyRhodes coming Thursday on the Bill Simmons Podcast! pic.twitter.com/Xe9XdZuleD
— The Ringer (@ringer) July 30, 2025
Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39
It should not be surprising that the Californian crowd was invested in the highly anticipated encounter. Fans wanted to see Rhodes “finish his story” and win his first WWE championship, which he did the following year in a rematch with the Tribal Chief.
Rhodes picking this match as his favorite may come as a shock, given that he has had incredible performances in the past. His match with brother Dustin at AEW Double or Nothing, as well as his tag team showdown against the Shield at Battleground, springs to mind. His Hell in a Cell performance vs Seth Rollins also deserves consideration.
Despite the loss, this match was instrumental in Rhodes’ legacy. It was his graduation into wrestling superstardom.
This was Rhodes’ first-ever WrestleMania main event and only the second time he had a main event singles match for the WWE. It propelled him into the role of “quarterback” for the biggest sports entertainment brand on the planet.
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