Cody

# Cody Rhodes

Article Talk

**Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes** (born June 30, 1985) is an American professional wrestlercurrently signed to WWE. Rhodes is known for his time in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he was the inaugural and record three-time AEW TNT Champion and also served as an executive vice president. He rose to prominence during his first tenure with WWE from 2006 to 2016, where he performed under his real name, as well as under the gimmick and ring name **Stardust** (an overly deep, dramatic and sparkling spin-off gimmick of his brother's Goldust character). Rhodes has also wrestled for various other notable promotions, including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), Ring of Honor (ROH), and New Japan Pro-Wrestling(NJPW). Outside of wrestling, he serves as a judge on the competition series *Go-Big Show*, and stars with his wife Brandi Rhodes on the reality show *Rhodes to the Top*.

Rhodes is the son of wrestler Dusty Rhodes, and the half-brother of fellow wrestler Dustin Rhodes. After an amateur wrestling career that resulted in him becoming a two-time Georgiastate champion, he followed his father and older brother's footsteps into the professional ranks and joined WWE in 2006, initially being assigned to the company's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). After becoming a Triple Crown Champion in OVW, he was promoted to WWE's main roster in 2007 and remained there for nine years, performing under his real name and later under the gimmick of Stardust. During his time with WWE, Rhodes became a two-timeIntercontinental Champion and was a prolific tag team wrestler, winning six tag team championships (three World Tag Team Championships and three WWE Tag Team Championships) with four separate tag team partners. Rhodes left WWE after requesting his release in May 2016.

Following his departure from WWE, Rhodes began wrestling on the independent circuit, also making several appearances in TNA; he wrestled under the shortened name **Cody** due to WWE owning the "Cody Rhodes" name, until 2020 when WWE surrendered their trademark. In the time frame spanning from early 2016 to early 2017, he competed at WWE's WrestleMania, ROH's Final Battle, and NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom events, as well as appearing for Impact Wrestling (formerly TNA) at Bound for Glory. In September 2017, Rhodes wrestled in ROH, where he became a one-time ROH World Champion. He would later become a one-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion and a one-time ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with The Young Bucks). In September 2018, he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (due to ROH's partnership with the National Wrestling Alliance(NWA)), with he and Dusty becoming the first father and son to win the title. All totaled between WWE, AEW, NWA, ROH, and NJPW, Rhodes has held 15 championships (including two world titles – and in late summer 2018, he held the NWA World, IWGP U.S., and ROH Six-Man titles simultaneously). In January 2019, Rhodes was unveiled as an executive vice president of the newly formed AEW, where he would also serve as a wrestler. During his run in AEW, he became the inaugural holder of the AEW TNT Championship in May 2020, and would win the championship a record three times. After failing to negotiate a new contract, Rhodes relinquished his position as an EVP and he and his wife departed AEW in February 2022.

## Early life

Rhodes was born Cody Garrett Runnels on Sunday, June 30, 1985, to the highly successful professional wrestler Virgil Runnels, known professionally as Dusty Rhodes, and his second wife Michelle. In addition to Dustin, he has two half-sisters from his father's first marriage. When he was a teenager, he legally changed his name to Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes. Rhodes attended Lassiter High School and had a successful high school wrestling career. He placed sixth in the 171 lb (78 kg) division as a sophomore. As a junior, he won the Georgia state tournament at 189 lb (86 kg) in 2003 and repeated as champion his senior year. He had planned to wrestle collegiately at Penn State University, but decided to become a professional wrestlerinstead. During his time in high school, Rhodes also acted as a referee in his father's Turnbuckle Championship Wrestlingpromotion. After graduating high school, Rhodes attended an acting school

## Professional wrestling career

 Born
June 30, 1985(age 36)

 Spouse(s)
 Children
 Parent(s)
 Relatives
Magnum T.A.(godfather)
Fred Ottman (uncle)
Cody R
**Cody Rhodes**Fuego 2
 Billed height
 Billed weight
 Billed from
"The Fifth Dimension"
 Trained by