Stone Cold Explains Why Cody Rhodes Had to Lose at WrestleMania 39
On “Busted Open,” he talked about why he believes Rhodes’ story wasn’t ready to end that day.
In an interview on SiriusXM Fight Nation’s “Busted Open,” WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin shared his perspective on Cody Rhodes’ loss to Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 39.
Austin argued that having Rhodes defeat Reigns at that moment wouldn’t have made him a bigger star. In his view, Rhodes had already established himself as one of WWE’s top performers, and ending Reigns’ historic championship reign simply because it seemed like the expected outcome would have felt predictable.
“You don’t make Cody by taking the belt off the right guy at the wrong time,” Austin said.
Austin also praised Rhodes’ career journey, noting that he left WWE, reinvented himself, helped launch AEW, and returned as an even bigger star. He believed Rhodes’ eventual championship victory needed to happen at the right moment and within the right story, while Reigns’ dominant title run still had momentum.
Reflecting on Rhodes’ WrestleMania 39 defeat, Austin said, “When you’re laying down there looking at the lights, you know that, hey man, that story is gonna be completed one of these days, but it ain’t gonna be right here.”
“Busted Open” host Dave LaGreca disagreed, arguing that WrestleMania 39 was the perfect opportunity to crown Rhodes as champion.
“I just thought the moment was there,” LaGreca said. “The fans were ready for it to happen.”
He added, “I just feel like right now they’re going to be chasing that moment, and who knows how the fans are gonna feel about Cody.”
