Cody Rhodes Defends Controversial “Raheem” Joke and Says He Won’t Walk It Back

Charlotte, N.C.—Cody Rhodes is not apologizing.

Speaking one-on-one with ESPN Chicago’s Jonathan Hood, the American Nightmare doubled down on the punch-line that lit social media ablaze during the Feb. 6 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, telling fans and critics alike that the quip is here to stay.

“I very much stood by it,” Rhodes said flatly. “I can’t really walk that one back.”

The line in question came as Rhodes addressed the intensifying stare-down between Roman Reigns and CM Punk. Rather than fan the flames, he opted for levity.

“And besides, I heard it was gonna be a you-know-what measuring contest. Well, they’re both glad I’m not in it, because I didn’t get the nickname Raheem for no reason.”

Within minutes, the phrase was trending worldwide. Some viewers laughed; others cried foul. Rhodes revealed that his wife, Brandi Rhodes, was the deciding vote on whether to keep the joke in the script.

“I had told her that I might say it. I felt bad because I told her and then she said, ‘Oh, you have to say it. It’s funny.’”

The 38-year-old made it clear the intent was never to antagonize either Reigns or Punk. “I’m not wrestling either of you. You guys are wrestling each other and it’s awesome,” he explained. “I wanted to come at it with a little bit of levity because I knew others were gonna come at it from a different perspective.”

Still, Rhodes admitted he worried the gag might overshadow the larger narrative. “I don’t ever want anybody to get married to a line,” he said, adding that he “field-tested” the reference before delivering it live from Charlotte’s Spectrum Center.

Online blowback hasn’t swayed him. “When you see a Manchester United in the bio and an anime picture as the avatar complaining about it, I gotta ask, what are we really complaining about here? This is more of a positive joke than there could ever be about gifted men.”

With the Elimination Chamber looming and a coveted WrestleMania berth on the line, Rhodes stressed that his priority is securing his own path to the biggest stage of them all—not lingering in the crossfire between two of the industry’s biggest names.

“I said, ‘I’m not gonna spend my road to WrestleMania talking about two other guys. This is where it ends for me,’ and I picked a great place to do it. Charlotte, North Carolina, was the place so, yes, I said it, and that’s where I’m at.”

The moment is now part of SmackDown lore, and Rhodes is content to leave it there. As the Road to WrestleMania accelerates through the Chamber, all eyes will be on whether the American Nightmare can convert controversy into championship gold.