Cody Rhodes rips apart former Shield member on SmackDown

The American Nightmare mentioned his former rival while addressing Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa on SmackDown this Friday.

Cody Rhodes rips apart former Shield member on SmackDown

Cody on SmackDown(via-WWE)

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins was the first feud on the road to The American Nightmare’s WWE return last year. He made an unexpected return to the WWE at WrestleMania 38 last year. He was announced as the surprise opponent for the visionary at the Show of Shows. Cody kicked off his incredible comeback with a victory, and his feud with Rollins continued down the road following Mania. The American Rollercodester last encountered Rollins at Royal Rumble this year.

This Friday on SmackDown, Cody Rhodes recalled an unforgettable moment from his feud with Seth Rollins last year. The American Nightmare secured the victory against Ludwig Kaiser in a hard-fought match. Following the match, Paul Heyman challenged Cody to a match against Solo Sikoa next week ahead of his WrestleMania 39 bout with Roman Reigns.

While accepting the challenge, the 2023 Royal Rumble winner used an example from his feud with Rollins. He was aware that he was putting his body at risk ahead of the biggest match of his career at WrestleMania. “I probably shouldn’t have wrestled with half my body hanging off, and I still beat Seth Rollins,” Rhodes added.

The American Nightmare is referencing the moment when he wrestled Seth with a torn pectoral muscle. Cody’s feud with Rollins culminated in a brutal match at Hell in a Cell last year. After entering the cell, Cody shocked the world by competing inside the deadliest steel structure with an injury and eventually emerging victorious.

Related: Paul Heyman announces daunting challenge for Cody Rhodes

Will fans see Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins down the road once again?

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins
Rollins vs. Rhodes at Hell in a Cell 2022(via-WWE)

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins feud was a great way to kick off an impeccable WWE return for The American Nightmare. It all started when Cody showed up as a surprise opponent for Rollins and eventually emerged victorious at WrestleMania 38 last year.

They had a rematch at the Backlash PLE, where The American Nightmare continued his momentum with another victory. The feud had a fitting climax when Cody defeated Rollins for the third time in a row at Hell in a Cell. Rhodes was out of action for over seven months following the feud before returning at the Royal Rumble 2023. 

After WrestleMania 39, Cody is rumored to compete in a triple-threat match against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. If the 2023 Royal Rumble winner becomes successful in capturing the titles from Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, fans could expect him to feud against Rollins with the titles involved this time, which means higher stakes.

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