As WrestleMania 40 approached, Cody Rhodes found himself embroiled in a highly personal feud with The Rock, who took on the persona of “The Final Boss.” In the WWE WrestleMania 40 Behind The Curtain documentary, The Rock claimed that it was his decision to step aside from a planned WWE Championship match to let Rhodes face Roman Reigns. The Rock, however, embraced a heel character that intensified his rivalry with Rhodes, pushing the boundaries of personal insults.
The Rock’s promos leading up to WrestleMania 40 were notably intense, with the People’s Champion making provocative comments about spilling Cody’s blood on a leather belt and showing it to Rhodes’s mother, Michelle. The Rock’s frequent references to “Mama Rhodes” even prompted fans to chant her name during broadcasts, underlining the personal nature of the feud.
In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Cody Rhodes addressed whether The Rock’s promos crossed any lines. Rhodes, the Undisputed WWE Champion, shared his perspective on the situation. “Depends on what line. When you’re the director of the board, you can do whatever you want. The show is not going off the air and no one’s getting fired if you do something that’s a little outrageous. That gave him free rein to develop and enter into The Final Boss,” Rhodes said. “So first time I ever thought, oh, maybe someone from this generation did get over.”
Rhodes elaborated on his feelings about The Rock’s promos, particularly the one from March 8th’s SmackDown where The Rock called him a “mistake.” This promo led to Rhodes slapping The Rock, showcasing the intensity of their feud. “Line wise, the only line I think he crossed was he made my sister Teil non-canon,” Rhodes explained. “Teil was like the closest I have, this is my original best friend. You know, so that was a little I felt bad. I felt bad for her.”
Rhodes also discussed the impact of The Rock’s comments on his mother, Michelle, who was thrust into the spotlight against her will. “Mama Rhodes is a person who never wanted to be ever on camera. And now you got a security guard in Heathrow Terminal Airport. If he thought that was a line that he was crossed, I feel maybe it actually backfired because she’s now a part of it all,” Rhodes said.
Despite the intensity of their feud, Cody Rhodes remains interested in a future match with The Rock. Speculation suggests that such a match could take place at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas next April, though no official confirmation has been made.
