Cody Rhodes’ 378-day reign as Undisputed WWE Champion officially concluded on April 20, 2025, when John Cena defeated him at WrestleMania 41 Night 2 in Paradise, Nevada. The match marked the end of one of the longest and most impactful title reigns in modern WWE history.
Rhodes’ Journey to the Top
Rhodes captured the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania XL on April 7, 2024, by defeating Roman Reigns in a Bloodline Rules match. The win symbolized Rhodes “finishing his story” and claiming his first world title in WWE.
His path to the title included a loss in a tag match on WrestleMania XL Night 1, where he and Seth Rollins fell to The Rock and Roman Reigns. As a result, his championship match became a Bloodline Rules contest. Despite interference from members of The Bloodline, Rhodes was aided by Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, John Cena, and The Undertaker to secure the victory.
Key Title Defenses
During his reign, Rhodes consistently defended the championship against top-tier opponents. Notable televised defenses included matches against:
- AJ Styles
- Logan Paul
- Solo Sikoa, including a Steel Cage match on SmackDown
- Kevin Owens
In addition to televised events, Rhodes defended his title at numerous live events, facing challengers like Dominik Mysterio, Jacob Fatu, Austin Theory, Carmelo Hayes, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Santos Escobar.
Significance of the Reign
Rhodes’ 378-day reign stands among the longest of WWE’s modern era. While it falls short of records set by legends like Bruno Sammartino or Bob Backlund, it eclipsed the 434-day reign of CM Punk and established Rhodes as a reliable main-event presence.
His run followed Roman Reigns’ 1,316-day Universal Championship reign, positioning Rhodes as WWE’s central figure throughout the past year. His consistency, crowd connection, and match quality earned widespread praise from critics and fans alike.
A Legacy Cemented
By the time of his final defense at WrestleMania 41, Rhodes had firmly established himself as a defining champion of his generation. Wrestling media outlets highlighted his reign as a major creative and fan engagement success. As of February 2025, Bleacher Report awarded the run an “A,” citing Rhodes’ ability to deliver across all challenges during his reign.
Rhodes’ journey—from leaving WWE, co-founding AEW, and returning to win WWE’s top title—culminated in a reign that solidified his place in wrestling history. With his loss, John Cena begins his record-setting 14th WWE Championship reign, marking the start of a new chapter in the company’s evolving landscape.
