Sami Zayn Sends Sarcastic Birthday Message to Cody Rhodes, the Man Whose Title He Now Holds

Cody Rhodes turned 41 on June 30, 2026, and while the birthday wishes poured in from fans and fellow wrestling personalities, perhaps none landed quite like the one from Sami Zayn — the man who took the Undisputed WWE Championship from him.

Zayn, now carrying the title Rhodes made the centerpiece of his career, sent what was described as a friendly but unmistakably sarcastic birthday greeting to the American Nightmare. It’s the kind of moment that encapsulates the unique theater of professional wrestling: a champion rubbing salt in the wound of his predecessor, and doing it with a smile.

The exchange — one-sided as it may be — is a natural extension of the rivalry that saw Zayn dethrone Rhodes and claim the top prize in WWE. For Rhodes, who famously built his entire comeback narrative around winning and holding that championship, losing it to Zayn makes the birthday trolling sting that much more. For Zayn, it’s an opportunity to remind everyone — Rhodes included — exactly where things stand.

Rhodes at 41 remains one of the most prominent figures in the company, and the circumstances surrounding how Zayn captured the title will likely fuel whatever comes next between the two. Whether Rhodes pursues a rematch or Zayn continues to needle him from a distance, the dynamic between champion and former champion is clearly far from settled. A birthday, it turns out, is as good a day as any to make that point.