Cody Rhodes Biography: Cody Rhodes, born Cody Garrett Runnels on June 30, 1985, is wrestling royalty by birth and reputation—son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes and half-brother of Dustin Rhodes, so expectations were always sky-high. He’s currently the Undisputed WWE Champion, holding both the WWE Championship and Universal Championship, which is no small feat, but his journey here has been a winding, fascinating one.
Cody first made his mark in WWE from 2006 to 2016, trying on a handful of gimmicks before truly finding his voice in the ring. Then came AEW in 2019, where he didn’t just wrestle—he helped build the company from scratch, serving as executive vice president while also becoming the inaugural and three-time AEW TNT Champion. That mix of corporate hustle and in-ring grind is rare, and it’s part of why fans can’t stop watching him—he’s the guy who can command a boardroom and a crowd in the same night, sometimes looking exhausted, sometimes unstoppable, always passionate.
Cody Rhodes Biography 2026
Cody Rhodes—born Cody Garrett Runnels—is wrestling royalty with a twist, juggling roles as a pro wrestler, promoter, entrepreneur, and all-around wrestling nerd. The son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes and younger brother of Dustin Rhodes, he’s spent his life carving his own path while carrying a family legacy that could crush anyone. Known to fans as “The American Nightmare,” Cody made waves as both a top wrestler and executive vice president in All Elite Wrestling, building a company from scratch while still proving he could hang in the ring. After his WWE comeback in 2022, he’s been on a roll, and now he’s set his sights on the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble, ready to dive headfirst into the chaotic 30-man Free-for-All—because if there’s one thing Cody Rhodes loves, it’s proving he belongs wherever the action is, whether in the boardroom or the spotlight.
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Visit Express VPNCody Rhodes Biography 2026 Details
| Born |
Cody Garrett Runnels
June 30, 1985 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
|
|---|---|
| Spouse |
Brandi Rhodes
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Dusty Rhodes (father) Dustin Rhodes (half-brother) Fred Ottman (uncle) Jerry Sags (uncle) Magnum T. A. (godfather) |
| Category | WWE News |
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Cody Rhodes
Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand, and is the current Undisputed WWE Champion, recognized as both the WWE Champion and WWE Universal Champion in his first reign.
Born: 30 June 1985 (age 39 years), Marietta, Georgia, United States
Spouse: Brandi Rhodes (m. 2013)
Full name: Cody Garrett Runnels
Weight: 100 kg
Height: 1.88 m
Siblings: Dustin Rhodes, Teil Runnels, Kristin Runnels Ditto
Parents: Dusty Rhodes, Michelle Rubio
Early life
Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes, born on June 30, 1985, in Charlotte, North Carolina, comes from wrestling royalty and a surprisingly diverse family tree—his father was the legendary Dusty Rhodes, his mother Michelle Rubio gave him Cuban roots, and he’s surrounded by wrestling talent on all sides, from his half-brother Dustin to his godfather, Magnum T. A., who was there at his baptism.
Even growing up, Cody’s life was a mix of wrestling and normal kid stuff: he excelled on the high school mats at Lassiter High, finishing sixth as a sophomore at 171 pounds before dominating the Georgia state championships at 189 pounds as a junior and senior. While Penn State wrestling was on the table, he skipped college to chase the pro dream, getting his first taste of the business as a referee in his dad’s Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling. After high school, he even took a detour into acting, spending a year at the Howard Fine Acting School in Los Angeles, proving early on that Cody Rhodes was always going to carve his own path—half wrestling prodigy, half dream-chaser, all passion.
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Professional Wrestling Career
Rhodes acknowledges that at the age of twelve, his father began his wrestling training, which consisted primarily of basic techniques. From then on, Ricky Morton, Randy Orton, Danny Davis, and Al Snow trained him. On May 13, 2006, he started competing in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) under the birth name Cody Runnels. In the middle of August 2006, he and Shawn Spears formed a tag team and went on to win the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship twice. In addition, he took home the OVW Television Championship and the OVW Heavyweight Championship. In a backstage scene involving his father Dusty Rhodes and Randy Orton on the July 2, 2007 episode of Raw, Runnels made his television debut as a face by assuming his family’s wrestling last name, Rhodes. Orton introduced himself to Rhodes and then gave Dusty a slap in retaliation.
Personal life
On March 31, 2007, Rhodes and his half-brother entered their father into the WWE Hall of Fame. Ring announcer and former wrestler Brandi Reed wed Rhodes in September 2013. Along with a Siberian Husky named Pharaoh, who has accompanied Rhodes on AEW and WWE shows, they have a single kid together named Liberty. Rhodes is a die-hard gamer who loves Metal Gear and The Legend of Zelda. He even incorporates their aesthetics into his wrestling attire. He has said that he plays through A Link to the Past every year and that Ocarina of Time is his favorite game in the series. He has also declared that Metal is his second-favorite video game ever.
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Cody Rhodes Returns to WWE
Following a six-year absence from both the WWE and AEW, Cody Rhodes triumphed over Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 38 to finally make his long-awaited comeback. After that, he hasn’t turned back. In between, Rhodes defeated “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar via pinfall, won the 2023 Royal Rumble, and was the main attraction at WrestleMania Hollywood. After he returned to the promotion his family has been associated with for years, his notoriety and wealth have undoubtedly increased.
Cody Rhodes in AEW
All Elite Wrestling, or AEW as the fans obsessively call it, burst onto the wrestling scene in 2019 and immediately shook things up. From day one, there’s been this buzzing question: could AEW actually challenge WWE’s long-standing dominance? They’ve carved out their own identity with big events like Double or Nothing, Fyter Fest, Battle of the Belts, and a handful of others, even if some of the names sound a little over-the-top.
Cody Rhodes, wearing the dual hats of Executive Vice President and occasional in-ring competitor, has been a cornerstone of the company—basically juggling boardroom drama and high-flying moves, which is impressive and, honestly, a little exhausting to think about. No surprise that his role at AEW has boosted not just his influence but also his bank account; running a wrestling company while stepping into the ring isn’t exactly a nine-to-five, and yet somehow, he makes it look almost casual.
Cody Rhodes Bullet Club
Slug Club is a professional wrestling stable that primarily competes in the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). It also appears in American progress, most notably in Ring of Honor (ROH). In May 2013, the Irish fighter Sovereign Devitt founded the group. He, Tama Tonga, Karl Anderson, and Misfortune Fale were the founding members of the Shot Club. When Cody Rhodes joined the Shot Club in December 2016, he had just left the WWE and was competing on the independent circuit. The impact of Cody Rhodes on the Slug Club was enormous. especially after it was announced at the World Label Association that the former WWE Intercontinental Boss could now create news titles under the Projectile Club banner that would be remembered. Cody departed from the bar.
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Cody Rhodes Stardus
Stardust was a detestable person acquainted with the WWE Universe and was depicted by Cody Rhodes. Stardust was the child of Dusty and the sibling to Goldust as per the WWE storyline. Stardust and Goldust together framed their own personal label group and, surprisingly, came out on top for the WWE Label Group Title.
Cody Rhodes’s Endorsements
Some portion of Cody’s pay additionally comes from support. The brands he supported incorporate WWE Shop, Fanatics, Mattel Creation, Migsmedia, and others.
Cody Rhodes’s Charity and Foundation Work
Cody has given generously from the bottom of his heart and has contributed what he could to benefit society. He brought another line of “American Nightmare” shirts to be sold as a merchandise during the epidemic and said that the proceeds from the sales would go toward helping patients with coronavirus. After a match in 2017, Cody sold his boots and donated the proceeds to Austin Pets Alive, a charity that aids homeless dogs and other animals. He also donated the money that was received to fund the online Twitch tipping. After that pairing, all of the dogs that were up for adoption on the show were adopted. Rhodes negotiated a deal with a fan who inquired about the price at about the same time.
Cody Rhodes’s House
The rising star in WWE The multimillion-dollar home of US politician Cody Rhodes is located in the community of Cheval in the US state of Florida. When Cody first tweeted in September 2018 that he was looking for a new place for his family to live, he included a list of some essential requirements. Cody’s interest in a house without taking any action was a huge hint that he would look for a home in Florida. One of his fans responded to his post, bringing up the point that having no steps in the house is a “Florida thing”. The American nightmare eventually found himself relocating to Florida. On his unscripted TV series Rhodes to the Top, fans are getting a close-up look at Rhodes’ house.
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Cody Rhodes’s Cars
Cody Rhodes seriously loves Sportscar and needs to have quite possibly the best assortment. He claims a
Lamborghini Urus
Mercedes G Class
Porsche Panamera
Prior he possessed a Big Indian Dark Horse Motorbike which he utilized in his entry in one of the Battling occasions yet later sold it to assist different associations with the obtained cash.
Cody Rhodes’s Movies and TV Shows
Aside from being a fruitful and achieved grappler and business visionary, Cody is likewise an extremely conspicuous entertainer and television character. Albeit not essentially, however his endeavors as an entertainer and model sure record for a specific level of Cody Rhodes’ Total assets.
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Cody Rhodes’s Salary
The genuine compensation of Cody Rhodes in 2023 has not been affirmed, however, we can gauge from a few reports that he procures a sum of at least 0.5 Million US Dollars on his ongoing WWE contract.
What is Cody Rhodes Net Worth in 2026
As of 2026, Cody Rhodes’s net worth is estimate to be $8 million.