Cody Rhodes keeps his personal faith private. While he was baptized as an infant, Rhodes himself has said he is “not a religious person” and that he “doesn’t really have faith”. In other words, he has not publicly identified with any particular religion.
Quick Profile: Cody Rhodes
| Full Name | Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes |
| Date of Birth | June 30, 1985 |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Non-religious |
What religion is Cody Rhodes?
Cody Rhodes has not publicly stated a religious affiliation. Although he was baptized as a baby, he has made it clear in interviews that he does not follow organized religion. In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Rhodes said he was “one of those weird Millennials” who has “no faith” and is “not a religious person”. Rhodes keeps his spiritual beliefs to himself, and there is no official record of him practicing any specific faith.
Early life
Cody Rhodes was born on June 30, 1985, to Dusty Rhodes (a WWE Hall of Famer) and Michelle Rubio. He spent his infancy in Charlotte, North Carolina, then grew up in Marietta, Georgia. Rhodes attended Lassiter High School in Marietta, where he was a standout amateur wrestler. He won the Georgia state high school wrestling championships in 2003 and 2004 (his junior and senior years). Although he had planned to wrestle collegiately at Penn State University, he chose instead to pursue a career in professional wrestling. After high school, Rhodes moved to Los Angeles for a year to study acting at the Howard Fine Acting School, preparing him for occasional roles on television.
Professional Wrestling Career
Rhodes began his pro-wrestling career in 2006. After training with his father and other veterans, he debuted in June 2006 with Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). In 2007 he signed with WWE and was assigned to OVW, where he won the Television, Southern Tag Team, and Heavyweight Championships, becoming a Triple Crown Champion. He soon moved to WWE’s main roster, teaming with Hardcore Holly to win the World Tag Team Championship in 2007. From 2007 to 2016, Rhodes won a total of eight world tag team titles (with various partners) and the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice. He also teamed with his half-brother Dustin (Goldust) and later wrestled under the persona “Stardust” alongside Goldust, capturing tag team gold together.
In 2016 Rhodes left WWE to wrestle independently. He worked as “Cody Runnels” or simply “Cody” in promotions such as New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor. In 2018 he co-promoted the all-star show All In, which sold out in minutes and led directly to the formation of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2019.
From 2019 to early 2022, Rhodes was a co-founder and Executive Vice President of AEW. He became the inaugural AEW TNT Champion in 2020 and held that title three times, among other achievements. In February 2022, Rhodes departed AEW and made a surprise return to WWE at WrestleMania 38. He quickly became a top star again, winning the 2023 Royal Rumble to earn a world title match. Since returning, Rhodes has won multiple WWE championships, including two WWE Championship reigns, and even captured the 2025 King of the Ring title. He headlined WrestleMania multiple times and, as of 2025, holds the WWE Undisputed Championship in his second reign.
Personal life
In September 2013, Cody Rhodes married Brandi Reed (now Brandi Rhodes). Brandi is a former professional wrestler and model who later became a WWE broadcaster. The couple has two daughters, Liberty Iris (born in 2021) and Leilani Ella (born in 2025). Rhodes and his family often make appearances on social media and in media projects. For example, he and Brandi were featured in a 2021 reality-show documentary called Rhodes to the Top. Outside the ring, Rhodes has also tried other pursuits, he studied acting (as noted above) and has appeared on television in roles unrelated to wrestling.
Trivia
- Cody Rhodes was baptized as an infant and is the godson of wrestler Magnum T.A.. He later legally changed his last name to “Runnels Rhodes” when he was a teenager
- After high school, Rhodes lived in Los Angeles for a year to study acting at the Howard Fine Acting School. He has since appeared in TV shows; for example, he had a guest role as “Kurt Smoller” on the sci-fi series Warehouse 13
- In the 2012 WWE Royal Rumble match, Rhodes lasted 40 minutes and eliminated six opponents, the most eliminations of anyone in that match (including legends like Mick Foley and Booker T)
- Rhodes was trained to wrestle by some of the business’s greats. His early training was guided by his father Dusty Rhodes, and he later learned under trainers like Al Snow, Danny Davis, Ricky Morton, and Randy Orton
- While wrestling in Japan, Rhodes was given the nickname “The American Nightmare” by members of the Bullet Club, a play on his father Dusty’s nickname “The American Dream”. This name has since become central to his wrestling persona.
- Early in his career, Rhodes was a frequent opponent of Aaron “Damien Sandow” Stevens (then wrestling as Aaron Stevens). In Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2006, Rhodes and Sandow had at least 13 matches against each other; years later they even formed a tag team together in WWE.
