Cody Rhodes, a wrestler who has spent years putting distance between himself and the Stardust persona, embraced that chapter of his past in a warm moment at a WWE live event in Lisbon, Portugal. The reigning Undisputed WWE Champion performed the trademark Stardust cartwheel for a fan painted up as the character, then handed over his weight belt and a hug.
The moment came after Rhodes worked the main event at the house show, where he faced GUNTHER in a rematch from WWE Clash In Italy. A fan wearing Stardust’s face paint was brought into the ring, and Rhodes gave the people exactly what they wanted – a Starrdust carthweel.
What makes the gesture notable is Rhodes’ complicated history with the character. He introduced Stardust in mid-2014 as a face-painted alter ego and kept the persona until his WWE departure in 2016.
Rhodes has spoken candidly over the years about his disillusionment with the gimmick. While he enjoyed the character at first, he grew frustrated with it and rebuilt his career outside of WWE before returning and re-establishing himself under his own name.
Rhodes Riding High As Undisputed WWE Champion
The Lisbon appearance comes with Rhodes once again on top of the company. WWE recognizes him as the current Undisputed WWE Champion, with his latest reign officially beginning on March 6, 2026.
The GUNTHER rivalry has been one of the central stories of Rhodes’ run. The two clashed at WWE Clash In Italy, where a controversial finish led Rhodes to offer GUNTHER a rematch, a feud that GUNTHER had vowed to win heading into the premium live event.
For one fan in Lisbon, though, the night was less about the title picture and more about a piece of WWE history Rhodes has rarely revisited so openly.
