Cody Rhodes is still at the top of his game, but the 40-year-old veteran has a timeline in mind for when he intends to retire from in-ring competition.
During an appearance on ESPN’s UnSportsmanLike podcast (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News) on Wednesday, Rhodes did not divulge a specific date or age at which he intends to retire, but he did note that his next WWE contract will be the last of his in-ring career.
“I don’t have an end date like I used to,” Rhodes said. “I do know that whatever the next deal that I sign with WWE, I ain’t going nowhere, that next deal will be the last.”
Rhodes spent the first decade of his career in the WWE system before departing in 2016 and establishing himself in other companies across the world, including Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Impact Wrestling.
He later became a founding member of AEW and was one of the faces of the company until he shockingly decided to leave and return to WWE in 2022.
Since then, Rhodes has been among WWE’s top dogs, headlining WrestleMania 39, 40 and 41, winning a pair of Royal Rumbles and holding the WWE Championship twice.
Given where The American Nightmare is in his career, one would assume that retirement isn’t on his mind, but he does seem to have his exit from pro wrestling plotted out, even if he isn’t provided many specifics.
Rhodes’ fans may not have to worry too much about him stepping away in the near future, though, as some other comments he made on UnSportsmanLike suggest he feels like he has plenty of good years left.
“Wrestling’s so unique in terms of it’s hard to determine your time,” Rhodes said. “Especially in 2026, with the level of athlete that you can grow to be. Look at what Brock [Lesnar] is doing currently at this level, he’s in peak form. Roman [Reigns], older, peak form. [CM] Punk, Punk is the best he’s ever been. So age is really not what it used to be in the industry.”
To Rhodes’ point, many of WWE’s top stars are in their 40s, or they are rapidly approaching that age.
With a limited live event schedule compared to past eras of WWE, wrestlers are taking less bumps, traveling less and putting less wear and tear on their bodies, which tends to equal greater longevity.
Because of that, there is no reason why Rhodes can’t continue to perform at a high level until he is 45 or potentially even 50, especially if his schedule lightens even more the older he gets.
In the here and now, Rhodes is lined up for another WrestleMania main event, although it will likely be of the Night 1 variety with Reigns and Punk occupying Night 2.
If Rhodes wins the men’s Elimination Chamber match at Saturday’s Elimination Chamber premium live event, he will earn a WWE Championship match against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42, giving him a chance to become a three-time WWE champion.
