In the second episode of “Stephanie’s Places,” Stephanie McMahon journeyed to Atlanta, Georgia – a city steeped in wrestling history – for a poignant meeting with reigning Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes. Their venue was the iconic Center Stage Theater, the former heart of WCW Saturday Night and a place Cody Rhodes spent much of his childhood. It was a fitting, almost surreal setting (“I feel like I’m in enemy territory,” Stephanie admitted) for two scions of wrestling royalty to discuss legacy, perseverance, and Cody’s arduous path to “finishing the story.”
Center Stage holds deep significance for Rhodes. As the son of “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, a WCW cornerstone performer and producer, young Cody witnessed the magic firsthand from the stands. “This was center stage for WCW Saturday night. I spent a huge chunk of my childhood here,” Cody shared, pointing out his usual spot. “Think about going to a wrestling show at eight years old. Look at these outfits, the smoke, the fire, the music… It’s just magic… What on earth would I want to do [else]?”
The building buzzed with memories of WCW legends, from Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage making their shocking arrival (“That’s really like, shock. That’s macho man,” Cody recalled the feeling) to “Stunning” Steve Austin, years before becoming Stone Cold. Cody shared a fascinating anecdote: “[Austin] babysat me in this building… and was, was a legit, real babysitter… watching him, you know, stone cold, Steve Austin… romp and stomp and doing everything, changing the industry… If you were in this building, you knew something. Steve Austin was awesome.”
Like Stephanie, Cody felt destined for the business (“Was there anything else that appealed to you? Know,” he confirmed). His driving ambition became deeply intertwined with his father’s legacy, specifically Dusty’s near-miss capturing the WWWF Championship from Superstar Billy Graham at Madison Square Garden in 1977 due to a count-out victory. “He wins the match… grabbed the title… held it up so the people could feel it… And then the boom gets dropped,” Cody recounted. While Dusty never held that specific title, Cody felt a need to achieve it for him. “I wanted to get it for him so I could show it to him. And my big plan was, I’ll get it for him, and I’ll say, hey, nobody can take it away from you. Now.”
Cody’s initial WWE run saw success, including winning championships and meeting his wife, Brandi Rhodes (their humorous, slightly conflicting “how we met” stories involving questionable hairstyles and alleged ear-blowing were revisited). However, frustration grew during his time portraying the Stardust character. “Stardust was locking me out of the top of the card. That was rock bottom I had to get out,” Cody stated. In 2016, he made the bold, risky choice to leave WWE. “You have to legit burn the boats, because the fear is, if you’re out in the ocean, you’re going to want to swim back,” he explained of his mindset. Stephanie acknowledged the bravery involved: “That takes so much courage… most people don’t jump… out of fear.”
On the independent circuit and helping launch AEW, Cody reinvented himself as “The American Nightmare,” becoming a main-event draw. His gamble paid off, leading to a spectacular return to WWE at WrestleMania 38. “From undesirable to undeniable. The prodigal son has returned,” commentary proclaimed. He came back focused on the WWE Championship and finishing his father’s story, only to face devastating defeat against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.
But Cody persevered. At WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia, he finally achieved his lifelong goal, defeating Reigns to become the Undisputed WWE Champion. “Finished the story! For the first time a Rhodes can call himself WWE champion!” the call rang out. For Cody, it was validation: “To get it to validate him [Dusty], also, at that point, validate myself… it was the greatest story for our family…”
An incredibly emotional backstage moment followed the victory. Triple H presented Cody with a Rolex watch identical to one Dusty owned – a watch Dusty had been forced to pawn years ago. “My dad had this exact Rolex… she [Cody’s mother] told me, Oh, I thought you knew he pawned it,” Cody revealed. Receiving the watch from Triple H was overwhelming. “How could you guys give me any more… What do I owe you now?… I don’t think I’ve ever felt like a world champion more than I did in that moment…”
Reflecting on his journey, Cody spoke of feeling his father’s presence, particularly at WrestleMania 39 (“I felt like I felt his hand, and I could smell him”), but noted its absence at WrestleMania 40 (“in my mind, it’s because he knew I had it”).
The conversation at Center Stage beautifully encapsulated Cody Rhodes’ journey – embracing his legacy (“Wrestling has more than one royal family,” Stephanie noted), overcoming adversity, taking immense risks, and finally capturing the one prize that always eluded his iconic father, cementing his own place as the Undisputed WWE Champion in April 2025.
Stephanie’s Places is streaming on ESPN, Disney+ and Hulu.
