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Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes’s 2022 WWE feud was a scripted storyline, but Rhodes later described their real-life relationship as competitive and said they were not friends. Their public comments point to professional tension and mutual respect—not proof that they privately hated each other.
How the WWE rivalry began
The feud began at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022, when Rhodes returned to WWE as Rollins’s surprise opponent and defeated him. WWE’s Cody Rhodes biography describes the return as the start of a new chapter in his career and calls the Rollins rivalry unforgettable.
Three matches, three Rhodes victories
| Event | What happened |
|---|---|
| WrestleMania 38, April 2022 | Rhodes returned as Rollins’s surprise opponent and won. |
| WrestleMania Backlash, May 2022 | Rhodes defeated Rollins again. |
| Hell in a Cell, June 2022 | Rhodes beat Rollins for a third time. He wrestled with a torn pectoral muscle, an injury WWE said he suffered while training, and underwent surgery after the match. See WWE’s Hell in a Cell recap. |
WWE’s coverage also showed Rollins attacking the injured Rhodes on Raw after Hell in a Cell. Those attacks, like the matches and promos, were part of the televised story; they are not independent evidence of real-world violence.
What “real life” means in this feud
In a July 2023 interview with Chris Van Vliet, Rhodes said, “Seth and I are not friends.” He also praised Rollins’s ability and value to WWE, describing their dynamic as competitive—an ongoing contest over “who’s the guy.” Rhodes said he did not want to wrestle Rollins again, while acknowledging the consequential decision Rollins made at Hell in a Cell. These are Rhodes’s own public comments, not a complete account of their private relationship. ProWrestling.net’s interview report transcribes the remarks.
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Rhodes also called the rivalry “true and real.” In context, that description sits alongside his remarks about competition and their not being friends; it does not establish that every on-screen confrontation reflected private animosity.
A contemporaneous Wrestling-Online report summarized comments attributed to both men around WrestleMania 39 as describing friction over professional position, alongside mutual respect. It reported that Rollins felt uneasy about the standing Rhodes had reached after Rollins had carried WWE in Rhodes’s absence, and attributed to Rollins references to “some natural friction,” “some level of mutual respect,” and “animosity.” Those details come through a secondary summary, so they should be understood as the report’s account rather than a complete record of either man’s private feelings.
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Why the feud felt personal on screen
The storyline invoked Dusty Rhodes, Cody’s late father. USA Insider noted that Rollins wore a polka-dot suit as a reference to Dusty, a detail that helped make the feud feel pointed to viewers. It remains a storyline choice, not evidence by itself of what Rollins privately intended. USA Insider’s WrestleMania 38 recap and Hell in a Cell recap describe the televised rivalry.
Before Hell in a Cell, Rollins delivered this line during a Raw segment: “I don’t like you. I don’t want you here. In six days, inside Hell in a Cell, I’m going to prey on your insecurities and I’m not just going to change you, Cody. I’m going to end you. And then we can all finally wake up from this ‘American Nightmare.’” It was an in-character promo written for the program, not a factual statement about their private relationship. USA Insider reproduced the segment in its Hell in a Cell coverage.
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Rank #3
- Fan Favorites! WWE action figures bring Superstars to life in 6-inch scale.
- TrueFX Technology! Each figure is detailed with a life-like face for added collectability.
- Dynamic Posing! Fans can recreate signature moves with 14 points of articulation.
- Play and Display! Reenact favorite WWE Main Event matches or create new rivalries and moves.
- Super Collectible! WWE fans can find their favorite Superstar figures (each sold separately, subject to availability).
So, were Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes really rivals?
They were real competitors in the professional sense: both publicly discussed a competitive dynamic, and Rhodes said they were not friends. At the same time, the televised attacks, dialogue, and personal references belonged to WWE’s scripted feud. The available public comments support professional tension and some personal distance, as well as respect; they do not justify presenting private hatred as established fact.
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