Cody Rhodes made an unprecedented return to the ring during the September 12, 2025, edition of Friday Night SmackDown (via WWE). In a shocking turn of events, the ‘American Nightmare’ challenged his arch-rival, Drew McIntyre, for a high-stakes clash at WrestlePalooza.
Following his return and official declaration for what is expected to be a heated altercation against the ‘Scottish giant’, the undisputed WWE champion explained why he had been out of the ring action since being attacked by McIntyre during the August 8, 2025, edition of Friday Night SmackDown (via WWE). In a heartfelt post on his X account, the American nightmare shared:
I just want to tell you, it’s been a hell of a month for me. I had a new baby girl named Leilani, I got cast as Guile in Street Fighter, and tonight, I got to come back home. Thank you guys very, very, very, very much.
Former WWE Employee Wants Cody Rhodes to Lose His Title Against Drew McIntyre at Wrestlepalooza
Cody Rhodes’ return to the squared circle may bring excitement to some fans and add new dynamics to existing storylines. However, not everyone has phrases for what the American Nightmare has done and achieved up until now. One of the most vocal critics of the current title reign of the American Nightmare has been former WWE employee Tommy Carlucci.
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On August 26, 2025, Carlucci sat down with Jonathan Coachman on Behind The Turnbuckle Studios and made a sensational comment about the current title reign of the ‘American Nightmare’. When asked about what creative direction he would take forward if he were in charge of the WWE, Carlucci shared:
I would’ve had Cody Rhodes lose the title to Drew [McIntyre] big-time, because it’s Drew’s time. Let him run with the ball, I love Cody, but I’m tired of seeing him being the champion. Let’s change the box a little bit here and make him [Drew] a champ.
These remarks from a former WWE employee do not come without a reason. There has been an evident lack of hype and interest in what Cody Rhodes does inside the company. After a long and arduous title reign that started with defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, fans have often criticized the company for not giving Rhodes heated rivalries.
A sign of exhaustion from the WWE universe can also be seen by the fact that while Roman Reigns was addressing the fans during Monday Night RAW in Birmingham on August 25, 2025 (via WWE).
Just when he pointed out the manner in which Rhodes, the crowd instantly booed the name of Cody Rhodes. This reaction from the crowd astonished the original tribal chief. Although it was largely perceived as a crowd reaction during the heat of the moment, it also pointed out something significantly wrong with the current persona of the ‘American Nightmare’.
Some fans have often speculated that Cody Rhodes would turn heel at some point in his WWE career. This is the reason why the name ‘Homelander of the WWE’ has grown so popular for him.
If these signs turn out to be true, then it could trigger something consequential at Wrestlepalooza. The overall question that WWE needs to ask is whether the current babyface persona is working for Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes as the Face of WWE: Is It Working Out as Triple H Planned?
It’s a fact that Cody Rhodes has been positioned as the face of the WWE for some time now. The undisputed WWE Champion became next in line after his high-stakes win over Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, where he ended the domination of the Tribal Chief. Rhodes was expected to become a popular Champion like John Cena, but has he matched Cena’s vibe in his prime?
The answer to that is a fitting no. Rhodes did not turn up for several weeks after he was defeated by a heel-turned John Cena at WrestleMania 41. There too, the company has to turn Cena back to being a babyface to make the Rhodes’s win at SummerSlam inevitable.
With its Undisputed WWE Champion, WWE is at a critical crossroads. The company needs someone who can show up every day and represent the brand both physically and vocally. As World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins set the bar high by competing every week, making promotional appearances, overcoming injuries, and enhancing the status of the title.
Sami Zayn, as United States Champion, defends his title nearly every week, showing the kind of passion and commitment fans respect. But astonishingly, Cody Rhodes had zero title defences ever since he won the title at SummerSlam 2025. During that time, other title holders like Dominik Mysterio and Seth Rollins defended their titles and were involved in an interesting storyline.
The company has already faced stringent criticism for not giving Cody Rhodes intense challenges. This undue leverage that Rhodes currently has may put WWE’s stance of promoting younger talents further into jeopardy in front of fans and critics alike.
Triple H needs to determine whether the company under his guidance is giving a fair shot to other talents to perform inside the ring for the most coveted prize of the company.
There is self-analysis for Cody Rhodes to be done as well. For someone who fought so hard to “finish the story,” Rhodes now needs to set his priorities straight and show he’s not just a symbolic champion but an active one.
WWE, on its part, must also take a hard look and decide what role the ‘American Nightmare’ truly meant to play. A clear plan of action is needed because if the Undisputed Title is to remain prestigious, it must be held by someone who lives and breathes WWE every single day. Cody Rhodes is slowly but steadily reaching that point in his career where he needs to decide whether he wants to remain the face of the company or not.
Do you think Cody Rhodes is being overprotected by the WWE? What do you make of the recent remarks from Rhodes after SmackDown went off air? Share with us in the comments below.
Wrestlepalooza 2025 will be streaming live on September 20, 2025, on ESPN in the US and Netflix everywhere else.
