Cody Rhodes Pays Tribute to Dusty Rhodes at Madison Square Garden on WWE SmackDown 6/28/24

cody rhodes

With his determination, hard work, and years of struggle, Cody Rhodes has finally established himself as one of the biggest names in the world of wrestling. Citing his remarkable chase for the World title, his gritty determination, undeniable connection with the fans, and unmatched aura, Rhodes is leaving an indelible mark on the WWE Universe.

The current Undisputed WWE Champion has been in this business for almost two decades. But Cody Rhodes’ first innings in WWE turned out to be a failure, and he was released in 2016. After leaving WWE, The Prodigal Son went on to rediscover himself and joined All Elite Wrestling, where he started finding his footing. He returned to the WWE in 2022 for the biggest run of his career to ‘Finish his Story’.

How did Cody Rhodes pay tribute to Dusty Rhodes at Madison Square Garden show?

Cody’s father, The American Dream Dusty Rhodes, was one of the most respected veterans in the wrestling business, and many WWE superstars of today credit him for their success in the WWE, including those who went on to become World Champions. However, Dusty himself never got to hold the WWE World Championship. This led to his son, The American Nightmare, making his goal to win the WWE Championship in honour of his legendary father.

WWE hosted this week’s Friday Night Smackdown in the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, the same venue where Dusty Rhodes won the WWE championship but had it taken away from him due to not winning the bout by pinfall or submission.

After an eventful episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring to pay a touching tribute to his late father. He revealed that Dusty Rhodes always wanted his son to win the title that was taken away from him. Following that, he brought the same WWE title that Dusty Rhodes won in 1977 and hoisted it over his head, with huge ‘Dusty’ chants erupting in the arena.

Cody Rhodes made his father proud after he won the Undisputed WWE Championship, pinning The Tribal Chief Roman Reigns and fulfilling his father’s dream. Furthermore, another reason Rhodes is one of the most beloved WWE Superstars in recent memory is not just for fans but also for his colleagues.

Cody Rhodes was seen giving a farewell to Kayla Braxton, who is all set to leave WWE after a fantastic 8-year run with the company, to end the evening for the fans in New York City.

What do you think about Cody Rhodes’ tribute to Dusty Rhodes at Madison Square Garden? Share your thoughts in the comments!