Photo Credit: Cody Rhodes (Instagram)
Cody Rhodes is currently in the main event spotlight, carrying his father, Dusty Rhodes’ wrestling legacy in WWE. Dusty’s real name is Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. Hence Cody Rhodes’s real name is Cody Garrette Runnels, with his surname coming from the actual name of his father.
However, later on, Cody legally added the surname Rhodes to his surname. Now, the American Nightmare’s real name is Cody Garrette Runnels Rhodes. Following the change in his surname, his ring name is currently identical to his legal name.
From the time of his debut in WWE, he was called Cody Rhodes, renowned as the son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes. Nevertheless, he stopped using the surname Rhodes once she parted away from the company, in fear of avoiding any conflict with WWE.
Changing his WWE gimmick, including the infamous Stardust persona, he welcomed the American Nightmare gimmick in indies and then in AEW. Initially, in the post-WWE days, he only called himself Cody, and he didn’t use the surname ‘Rhodes’ for approximately four years. Hence, whenever he appeared on AEW, TNA, or Indies, he always addressed himself as Cody.
Does Cody Rhodes Own His Ring Name?
As mentioned above, Cody Rhodes altered his birth name. After adding Rhodes as his legal surname, his professional wrestling surname is identical to his real surname. The former WWE star Ryback did the same thing after leaving WWE.
Amid the battle for a trademark between Cody and WWE over the surname Rhodes, the latter filed its cancellation in the USPTO in 2020.
Therefore, Cody eventually got the trademark right and started using it in his wrestling career. The 38-year-old does own the trademark of his name at the moment, and he uses it in WWE, so there is no dispute left about it.
Cody Rhodes’ Family Legacy
Family legacy plays a pivotal role in the professional wrestling fraternity. The reigning WWE Champion is the first man from the Rhodes family to win a WWE world title. Despite his Hall of Fame father’s remarkable legacy, he never had the privilege of capturing the WWE Championship, even though he won a world championship in NWA.
Cody’s half-brother is Dustin Rhodes, better known as Goldust from WWE. The elder sibling of the Rhodes brothers was the winner of the Intercontinental Championship and the Tag Team Championship, but he never came close to capturing either the WWE Championship or the World Heavyweight Champion in WWE.
Therefore, Cody Rhodes has made his late father proud, adding the Undisputed WWE Championship to the accolade of Rhodes title cabinet, which was missing earlier. Bring a main event guy and one of the biggest stars of the modern WWE, Cody Rhodes could touch more feats, possibly a Grand Slam honor in the future, carrying the Rhodes family name to greater heights.
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Avik Das is an English Literature graduate with an experience of over six years as a professional writer. He has written for renowned publications such as The Sportster, Sportskeeda, Pinkvilla, and The Things
