Cody Rhodes Opens Up About Backstage Outburst Ahead of WrestleMania 42, Says He Has Regrets

Cody Rhodes is reflecting on his WrestleMania 42 experience — including a moment behind the scenes he wishes had gone differently. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Rhodes admitted to a backstage outburst in the lead-up to the event, expressing some regret over how it played out.

Despite that admission, Rhodes said he came away feeling proud of how he managed the broader pressures surrounding WrestleMania 42. The event brought together a notable mix of crossover personalities alongside the usual WWE roster, with figures like Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll among those involved — adding an extra layer of complexity to an already high-stakes weekend.

For Rhodes, WrestleMania carries a weight that few other performers in WWE can fully appreciate. Since returning to the company, he has become one of its defining stars, and the pressure that comes with headlining the industry’s biggest annual event is considerable. That context makes the candid acknowledgment of a moment where he fell short all the more notable — it speaks to the intensity of the environment rather than diminishing what he accomplished overall.

Rhodes’ willingness to be open about the less polished moments of his WrestleMania experience is consistent with the kind of transparency that has made him a compelling figure both in and out of the ring. Whether the outburst had any lasting ripple effects backstage remains unclear, but Rhodes appears to have processed it and moved forward — proud of the big picture, even if one moment still stings a little.