Cody Rhodes Says He Doesn’t Expect to Be Wrestling in Ten Years, Eyes Five-Year Contract Horizon

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is thinking about the long game — and by his own estimation, that game may not stretch much further than five more years.

Appearing via video on The Ariel Helwani Show while traveling with WWE on its European tour, Rhodes opened up about his future in the ring. The American Nightmare made clear he doesn’t see himself still competing a decade from now, and when the topic of a potential new contract came up, he was candid about where his head is at.

“If I was to sign a new contract, maybe it would be for five years,” Rhodes said.

It’s a noteworthy admission from one of the most prominent figures in professional wrestling today. Rhodes is currently riding high as the top champion in WWE, having completed one of the most celebrated comeback stories in recent memory — returning to the company he once left, ultimately winning the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40 and successfully defending it since. Despite all that momentum, he’s clearly not operating under the illusion that this chapter goes on forever.

For a performer who has reinvented himself multiple times across multiple promotions, the self-awareness is fitting. Rhodes is 39 years old, and mapping out a five-year runway would take him to his mid-forties — a range where many wrestlers have begun winding down, though plenty have remained active well beyond it.

No specific contract timeline or status was confirmed, but Rhodes’ comments offer a rare, grounded look at how the champion is thinking about what comes next — and how much runway remains.