Cody Rhodes has high praise for AJ Styles, stating that the former star’s impact was so significant that it fundamentally changed how professional wrestling is presented in WWE. Following Styles’ official retirement at the Royal Rumble and announcement of his WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026 induction, Rhodes reflected on the legacy of his former rival during an interview on Mostly Sports with Brandon Walker.
Rhodes attended the emotional tribute for Styles held earlier this week on Monday Night Raw in Atlanta, where The Undertaker made the surprise Hall of Fame announcement. According to Rhodes, Styles was already a Hall of Fame-level talent before he ever stepped foot in a WWE ring, and his decade-long tenure in the company only served to further cement his status as a “super athlete”.
“He changed the way we do pro wrestling,” Rhodes said. “And he also showed people what you can do — I felt like when he came back in Orlando for the Royal Rumble [2016], he could have retired around that period of time, and he had an entire two or three runs. And pound-for-pound, if we’re talking about the measuring contest and these things like that, pound-for-pound, that guy might be the strongest guy in wrestling. I mean, genuinely a super athlete”.
The history between Rhodes and Styles is deep; the two worked a program in 2024 featuring matches at Backlash and Clash at the Castle. Both men share common ground as former members of the Bullet Club, though their paths in NJPW never overlapped.
Interestingly, Rhodes noted that Styles’ retirement and the evolution of the business has him closely watching the trajectory of rising star Je’Von Evans. Rhodes believes Evans is currently challenging established norms just as Styles once did.
“Which is why I’ve been thinking about Je’Von [Evans] a lot too, because he’s changing the nature of how these things go,” Rhodes added. “And he’s in there with guys who don’t wrestle like him. Will we adjust? Will he adjust? How’s it going to go? But I’m very happy for AJ. He was genuinely surprised. I love what we’re doing with The Undertaker [telling people they’re going into the Hall of Fame]”.
Both Rhodes and Evans are preparing for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match at the United Center in Chicago. They will be joined by Trick Williams, Randy Orton, LA Knight, and Jey Uso, with the winner securing an Undisputed WWE Championship match against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. While Styles has hung up his boots, his future with WWE remains secure; he has reportedly agreed to a new contract for a behind-the-scenes role within the company.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Mostly Sports with Brandon Walker with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
