Teddy Long Weighs in on Cody Rhodes’ Journey from AEW to the Face of WWE in 2025

Finding that perfect identity, the character that truly connects with fans, is something only a few manage to achieve. It is safe to say that Rhodes is one of them. After a rocky first stint in WWE between 2007 and 2016, where gimmicks like Stardust and “Dashing” Cody Rhodes had clear ceilings, ‘The American Nightmare’ made the bold decision to leave and prove himself elsewhere. 

By stepping outside of WWE, he avoided being lost in a sea of talent and instead reinvented himself as a global star. That gamble paid off in full. Rhodes returned to the Stamford-based promotion not just as a bigger name, but as a true main-event player. In fact, he has now taken the mantle once carried by John Cena, cementing it at SummerSlam this year when he defeated Cena to capture his second world championship.

Cody Rhodes shares special new logo after donning a new role in the Street Fighter reboot

Cody Rhodes is currently off WWE television after being attacked by Drew McIntyre on SmackDown before Clash in Paris. The absence is WWE’s way of writing him out so he can focus on his latest project outside the ring, a major role in the upcoming live-action Street Fighter reboot.

Rhodes will be stepping into the shoes of Guile, a United States Air Force pilot seeking vengeance for his friend who was killed by the villainous M. Bison. The official cast announcement also revealed Roman Reigns, with whom Rhodes has main-evented two WrestleMania events.

To mark the occasion, ‘The American Nightmare’ shared a special version of his iconic skull logo. While it kept the familiar red, white, and blue design, the logo was tweaked to include Guile’s trademark flat-top haircut, with a camouflage background to match the character’s military roots. Fans won’t have to wait too long to see Cody Rhodes and Reigns on the big screen as the film is scheduled to release on October 16, 2026.

Rhodes also gave fans a fun glimpse behind the scenes of Street Fighter. He recently shared an Instagram story with Indian actor Vidyut Jammwal, who will be playing Dhalsim in the film. Rhodes captioned the story, “New Best Friend,” along with emojis of the characters they will portray.

Outside of wrestling and Hollywood, Rhodes has been celebrating some big personal news as well. He and his wife recently welcomed their second child, daughter Leilani Ella Runnels, on August 29. The couple’s newest addition joins big sister Liberty Iris, 4.

The proud girl dad happily shared the announcement on Instagram. Cody Rhodes reshared Brandi’s post to his Stories and later posted another adorable photo of Liberty wearing a pink hat that read “Big Sister.”