WrestleMania is considered the Super Bowl of professional wrestling, and this year’s edition, WrestleMania 39, is set to take place over two nights at the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. The event will feature some of the biggest names in the industry, including WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and his challenger, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes’ Journey from Gulf Coast Wrestling Alliance to WrestleMania Main Event
Rhodes spent six years away from the WWE ring, wrestling for multiple venues around the world for both major and independent promotions. During this time, he even wrestled for Coastal Bend wrestling promotion Gulf Coast Wrestling Alliance (GCWA) in 2016 during his tour through the independents.
Fast forward to WrestleMania 39; Rhodes posted on Twitter that he will be sporting the namesake of Corpus Christi’s GCWA on a weightlifting belt he will wear to the ring at WrestleMania. GCWA took to Facebook to voice their excitement for being on the belt, knowing that it is an incredible opportunity for their promotion to be represented at such a high-profile event.
Rhodes made history by becoming one of the few wrestlers ever to reach the top of WWE without ever actually performing in front of a live crowd. Despite this, his skills have led him to become one of WWE’s biggest stars and hottest merchandise sellers. With his connection to GCWA and his continued passion for wrestling, there is a chance Rhodes could make his way back to Corpus Christi after WrestleMania as the undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Will Cody Rhodes Introduce Custom Championship or Trios Championship in WWE?
With Cody Rhodes set to face off against Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39, fans have been buzzing about new championship opportunities for Rhodes. A fan-made custom-made WWE Championship with Cody Rhodes’ symbol has gone viral on Twitter, fueling speculation that he might introduce a custom championship title in WWE.
However, Rhodes confirmed that he will not be implementing the aforementioned custom-made championship as it is not an official WWE title. Another development that could potentially shake up the industry is the potential for a Trios Championship in WWE. Recent teases have shown that Rhodes is keen on exploring this concept.
WWE already has multiple stables ruling both SmackDown and RAW, and a Trios Championship could add more hype to their fights. A Trios Championship in WWE could take inspiration from All Elite Wrestling’s Trios Championship, which has been highly successful recently.
Only time will tell whether WWE will consider exploring the Trios division more seriously. Fans will have to stay tuned to see what surprises Rhodes might bring to the table during his WrestleMania performance against Reigns.
Cody Rhodes’ Tony Stark-Inspired Gimmick That Never Came to Fruition
Inring gimmicks of various wrestlers are mostly a product of their or the company’s imagination. Cody Rhodes was once considered to play a Tony Stark-inspired character in WWE before leaving the company in 2016 because he was dissatisfied with his Stardust gimmick.
Before leaving WWE, Cody worked on several projects at the performance center under his father’s wing, including rehearsing a Tony Stark-inspired character. However, it ultimately couldn’t make it to TV, and Rhodes left WWE shortly after.
Despite this, an old video recently surfaced on Twitter showing Rhodes performing under a gimmick quite similar to Tony Stark. The character resembled Iron Man himself but didn’t get approval from higher-ups. Cody’s return to WrestleMania last year was epic as ever, and successfully proved that he doesn’t need any gimmick beyond himself for success in wrestling.
In conclusion, with his history with Independent wrestling promotions, including his ties to Coastal Bend’s GCWA and his continued passion for the sport, Cody Rhodes is proving that you don’t need to be connected to big-name stadiums or have flashy gimmicks to make a splash in WrestleMania. Whether he makes an impact via a custom championship or a Trios Championship, Rhodes is sure to leave his mark on this year’s event.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
