Cody Rhodes Reveals Original Plan for His Gigantic Neck Tattoo

Cody Rhodes recently opened up about one of his most talked-about decisions: his infamous neck tattoo. While the American Nightmare has come to embrace the bold ink as part of his brand, he revealed during an interview on the 2 Bears 1 Cave podcast that it wasn’t always meant to go where it is now.

The tattoo, representing his personal brand, was originally slated for a different spot on his body. “At the time, I was away from WWE, and I wanted to build my own thing,” Cody explained. “I hated wearing other people’s logos. I didn’t want to walk into a store and see someone else’s brand everywhere. I thought, ‘I need my own.’”

Cody initially considered placing the tattoo on his chest. However, after noticing UFC star Conor McGregor’s signature lion tattoo, he reconsidered. “I saw Conor’s chest tattoo, and I thought, ‘Well, I can’t do that.’ Then I thought about The Rock with his iconic Brahma Bull on his arm, and Goldberg with his barbed wire. That ruled out the arm. So, I thought, ‘I’ll go with the neck.’”

When the tattoo artist presented him with a smaller design that would discreetly peek over his shirt collar, Cody thought it was perfect. However, the final version turned out much larger. Even as the artist offered Cody multiple chances to stop and evaluate, Cody stayed in the chair, unwilling to second-guess himself. “I did the dumbest, most alpha-toxic thing ever,” he admitted. “He kept giving me an out, like, ‘Do you want to look?’ And I was like, ‘No, I’m good.’ I don’t even know who I was trying to impress—my wife wasn’t there, nobody was there.”

When he finally saw the finished tattoo, Cody likened the experience to getting the wrong gift on Christmas morning. “It was like a kid who didn’t get the right Power Ranger,” he joked. Despite his initial shock, Cody walked out of the shop with the tattoo intact and debuted it immediately, wrapping it in a scarf at a fan signing the next day to keep it under wraps.

Cody’s colleagues were just as stunned. “Jim Ross thought it wasn’t real,” Cody shared. “I walked into the production meeting, and he was just baffled that this thing existed on my neck.”

Today, the tattoo is a defining part of Cody’s identity and a symbol of his commitment to his personal brand. “In the long run, it was worth it,” he said. “It’s become a part of who I am.”

Love it or hate it, Cody Rhodes’ neck tattoo has become one of the most iconic and talked-about visuals in wrestling history. While the design may not have landed where he originally planned, it’s safe to say it’s made a permanent impression—literally and figuratively. Whether it’s a bold branding move or a questionable decision, Cody’s ink is now as much a part of him as the American Nightmare persona.

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