Cody Rhodes Explains Why Current WWE Storylines Make WWE WrestleMania 39 Better Than The Rock vs. Roman Reigns

Cody Rhodes made his return to in-ring action at WWE's Royal Rumble 2023 late last month, punching his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 39 by winning the Men's Royal Rumble. The big rumor surrounding WrestleMania 39 for well over a year was that it would involve Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson returning to action to face Roman Reigns, but now all signs point to that no longer being the case. Rhodes discussed that in a new interview with The Daily Mail this week, saying that WrestleMania is better off this year given the stories this company is telling rather than bringing in "The People's Champ" for a one-off match. 

"With all the respect in the world to one of the GOATs The Rock, it looks like the options we have here within the roster are even better because of the stories that are happening," Rhodes explained. "One story about finishing something that started in 1978 – seven years before I was even born – and another story of really the tragedy of being welcomed into the Bloodline and then what you saw unfolds. I think with the amount of time between now and WrestleMania, it's important I keep my eyes squarely fixed on WrestleMania, squarely wrestling for the WWE Undisputed Championship and as you hinted that may not be against Roman Reigns. Now I don't know if anyone can beat Roman Reigns, I truly don't, but for me, it's about picking up the chip. 

WWE's WrestleMania 39 Card So Far

"I love the melodrama,I love the heaviness in these stories that develop in our industry, but I am very simply a man who's looking for a belt. I'm looking for a championship title belt, the most important one in our world the biggest in all – not just in the WWE bubble but in all the bubbles – and be the first to say as a Rhodes I did it, and it wasn't Dusty Rhodes and it wasn't Dustin Rhodes it was Cody Rhodes," he continued. 

On top of Rhodes vs. Reigns, other advertised matches for WrestleMania include SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley and Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair vs. the winner of the upcoming Women's Elimination Chamber match. Other rumored matches for the card include Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul, Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley III, Finn Balor vs. Edge, Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio and Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler vs. Damage CTRL.