Cody Rhodes Says WWE Didn’t Want To Run From Idea Of Mixing It Up With Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn has seen an incredible surge in his career over the last year, as he went from mid-carder to Honorary Uce, and now he is 1/2 of the Undisputed Tag Team Champions. When Cody Rhodes returned to WWE, the company did not want to run from the idea that they had two top babyfaces, who were on fire in their own stories.

As the 2023 Royal Rumble premium live event approached, speculation surged among fans about the potential winner of the Men’s Rumble match and the subsequent challenger for Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. Many fans pulled for Sami Zayn, who was riding a wave of popularity owing to his engagement with The Bloodline storyline.

Ultimately, Cody Rhodes emerged as the winner of the 2023 Royal Rumble match, a decision that some fans believed might not sit well given Sami Zayn’s elevated status. He went on to lose to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. On that note, click here for a massive spoiler on WWE’s plan for WrestleMania 40.

In a recent interview with Fightful, Cody Rhodes remembered an encounter with Sami Zayn backstage during the Royal Rumble premium live event and discussed WWE’s efforts to address any potential concerns among fans.

“It was being discussed around us. Why don’t we discuss it amongst us. Bruce Prichard, Ed Kosky, Triple H, they all had the idea to put us in the ring together a Barclays Center. Not run from it, lets go towards each other and see. That was a moment where, my confidence, Sami is amazing. I don’t want to say it and throw it away. He is incredibly special. What he was doing is incredibly special. He was pulling a wagon. I wanted to be there to match him and hopefully also be incredibly special. I’m a big believer in, you can have it all. We have Jey Uso, his face is everywhere, the first guy to pin Roman in X amount of days, and here he is going for the one we all want. You can’t run for it. Run towards it. I like that. It brings out the best in all of us.”

Following Sami Zayn’s loss to Roman Reigns at the Elimination Chamber premium live event, Cody Rhodes experienced defeat at the hands of the ‘Tribal Chief’ at WrestleMania. Both top babyfaces have that in common, and only time will tell if and when they will finally wrap things up with the Tribal Chief.

In the meantime, Roman Reigns is going through his own drama with the Bloodline. His stable is splintering, Jey Uso quit WWE, and no member of the world-famous pro wrestling stable will be in Toronto for SmackDown next week.

We will have to see how WWE books things in the months and years to come. Both Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn seem to be doing their thing on the main roster. Only time will tell if their paths will cross again.

Who’s your favorite babyface in WWE? Who should beat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Title? Sound off in the comments to let us know what you’re thinking!