Add as a preferred source on Google Cody Rhodes has once again opened up about one of the biggest moments of his WWE career: his return at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, when he was revealed as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent.
During a recent interview with ESPN, Rhodes was asked how that moment compared to CM Punk’s return, which took place at Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 in Chicago.
The reigning Undisputed WWE Champion said he does not know which return was bigger, but noted that he prefers to judge the impact that came after the initial moment.
“You can talk about which return was bigger, whether it was Punk’s or Cody’s. I always look at the return and say, ‘Well, what did it generate afterward?’ And I don’t just mean dollars and cents. What changed the culture of a place?”
Cody Rhodes reflects on his WWE return at WrestleMania 38, says he doesn’t know if it was bigger than CM Punk’s:
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) June 2, 2026
“I think it’s up there as a really great WrestleMania moment and I think it’s a wonderful match… see the thing is it might get any distinction simply because it is a… pic.twitter.com/JpPRkR8Qit
Rhodes also recalled that many fans believed his WWE return would never happen, especially after his 2016 departure and his run as one of AEW’s founders.
The situation is very different today. Cody is back at the top of WWE, having retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42.
Punk, on the other hand, also had a massive return, but he is coming off a loss to Roman Reigns on the second night of WrestleMania 42, where he lost the World Heavyweight Championship.
The possibility of a match between Rhodes and Punk remains in play after the RAW after WrestleMania, where WWE teased a future battle for the company’s top title.