WWE’s poster boy Roman Reigns is still a marquee attraction for the company. Perhaps even more so than during his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship reign which ran for over three years. However, Cody Rhodes has surpassed him in one manner.

The American Nightmare has replaced him in the number-one spot on Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s annual top 500 wrestlers list. Rhodes has competed in 114 matches so far with a 95% win-loss track record. He also had an exceptional “Finish the story” angle which commenced in January 2023, following his first Royal Rumble win, and culminated in his coronation at WrestleMania in April 2024, following his second.

Back-to-back Rumble wins and the finale of a 17-year climb to the top in WWE, suffice it to say that Cody Rhodes has earned this spot. Taking to X, Rhodes reacted to making it to the top spot of PWI’s elite list of exceptional athletes in the world of professional wrestling. He calls himself the ‘Quarterback number one’:

“QB #1,” Cody Rhodes wrote.

The American Nightmare addressed the competition backstage with Roman Reigns to secure the top spot in WWE during the Bash in Berlin post-show press conference. He informed the press that it is healthy because such a mentality only helps improve the product.

Cody Rhodes defends Undisputed WWE Championship, Roman Reigns advertised for SmackDown Season Premiere

This Friday, Cody Rhodes is set to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against The Bloodline’s leader, Solo Sikoa, in a Steel Cage Match. The bout was made official by the blue brand’s General Manager Nick Aldis last week.

It was also announced later that the two enemies will lock horns under the Bull Rope stipulation for the title when the sports entertainment giant returns to Manchester, United Kingdom, on October 16. Whether Sikoa manages to steal the win and the belt this Friday bears watching. But it will not be their last encounter.

SmackDown will also mark a new season’s premiere, as the show will now be featured on the USA Network. On this eventful occasion, Roman Reigns is also advertised to make his return after being manhandled by Sikoa’s clan, predominantly by The Tribal Chief’s cousin, Jacob Fatu.

The Bloodline dominated the blue brand’s final episode on FOX last week by scoring a win over several of the roster’s finest athletes. How the former Enforcer responds to Reigns, who cost him his previous title match against Rhodes, remains to be seen.

During Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman’s interview for Bloomberg in New York City recently, The Tribal Chief spoke extensively about World Wrestling Entertainment’s latest deal with Netflix, which will commence in January 2025. Reigns called it the biggest deal the company has ever had, and addresses the leeway creative gets to experiment with more edgier content.