There have been multiple superstars who had backstage heat with Cody Rhodes. While he has cemented himself as one of the most beloved babyfaces in WWE history. Fans have ridden the highs and lows with him, from his Stardust disaster and WWE departure to his triumphant WrestleMania 38 return against Seth “Freakin'” Rollins, and, of course, his gut-wrenching WrestleMania 39 heartbreak before finally finishing the story at WrestleMania 40. When rumors swirled that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson might steal his moment, the WWE Universe stood firmly behind Cody, forcing the company to correct course.

In his six years away from WWE, Cody Rhodes made a made a massive name for himself in the world of pro wrestling. He worked in TNA as well as ROH. However, his crowning achievement was conducting the inaugural AEW All-In event. He then went on to become an EVP of AEW. However, he chose to return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 after being personally convinced by Vince McMahon to do so.

But let’s be real—the “Rhodes to the top” hasn’t been without its bumps. While he’s got the fans, he’s also made enemies. Some are storyline grudges, like his tension with real-life pal Kevin Owens, but others blur the line between fiction and reality—like The Rock’s heated WrestleMania 40 saga.

Let’s take a look at five stars having backstage heat with Cody Rhodes:

1) Seth Rollins: Frenemies Forever

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins have been linked since Rhodes’ WWE return, their WrestleMania 38 showdown kicking off a legendary rivalry. They ran it back multiple times, including Rhodes’ iconic Hell in a Cell match with a fully torn pec in 2022. Rollins even had Cody’s back at WrestleMania 40, helping dethrone Reigns, but make no mistake—this partnership is professional, not personal.

Rollins admitted in a 2023 Sports Illustrated interview that their relationship is… complicated. There’s respect, sure, but also jealousy, competition, and zero friendship. Rollins even told ESPN before WrestleMania 39 that he should have been the top guy, arguing that while Rhodes was off building AEW, he was the one carrying WWE on his back.

Rhodes later revealed they almost threw hands backstage. While he didn’t spill details, he claimed it was the closest he’s come to a real fight in WWE. Rollins acknowledged the tension, saying simply, “When tempers flare, tempers flare.” Translation: It got heated, and they’re probably never getting matching friendship bracelets.

2) Justin Gabriel: The Indie Shade Thrower

Remember Justin Gabriel? Probably not. Now wrestling as PJ Black, Gabriel had a solid WWE run from 2008-2013 before hitting the indies. In 2016, as Rhodes prepped for matches against Kurt Angle, Tommaso Ciampa, and Johnny Gargano, Gabriel decided to be that guy on social media.

“I’m so excited for a Cody Rhodes run”—said nobody ever,” he tweeted, trying (and failing) to start something. He later claimed it was all just fun and games, but Rhodes never even acknowledged the trash talk. A classic case of “punching up” to get attention.

3) Disco Inferno: Bitter Veteran Syndrome

Former WCW midcarder Disco Inferno took a jab at Rhodes in 2018 after Cody got busted open in a match against Kenny Omega. Disco hopped on Twitter to complain that wrestlers care more about five-star ratings than safety.

Rhodes fired back with a verbal suplex: “No fan has ever left a show thinking about you. You were lucky to be a juiced-up double-lifer ‘over with the boys’ in an era where you hid in plain sight, coasting on others’ success. Couldn’t hang then, can’t get booked now.”

Disco later claimed he wasn’t trying to bury Rhodes, just being critical. Sure, buddy.

4) Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson: The Almost Story-Stealer

Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble to earn his rematch against Roman Reigns… until The Rock showed up and pulled a fast one. On SmackDown, Rhodes seemingly handed his WrestleMania shot to The Rock, and fans lost their minds. WWE had to backpedal hard.

At a February press conference, Rhodes made his move, reclaiming his title match. The Rock responded with a disrespectful slap, igniting a war. The People’s Champ took things further, whipping Rhodes with his own weight belt, mocking his mother, and dubbing his fans “Cody Crybabies.” The hostility boiled over at WrestleMania, where Rock and Reigns faced Rhodes and Rollins in a tag match that set up Bloodline Rules for night two.

But the drama didn’t end there. The night after WrestleMania, Rock confronted the newly crowned champ, handed him something (maybe that Rolex Cody gifted the main event crew), and ominously told him their story wasn’t over. Then, in 2025, Rock casually acknowledged Rhodes during Raw’s Netflix debut, and the two were later seen sharing a drink. Now, the Rock has aligned with John Cena and continues his feud with Rhodes.

During an interview with Theonemona, The WWE Champion stated that the Rock and he might hate each other.

​”And I think we might hate each other, but we’re both wrestlers. And I think that’s what the connection is about.”

Reports had also suggested that Rhodes was initially unhappy when his WrestleMania 40 spot was being given to The Rock.

5) Drew Gulak was one of the superstars who had backstage heat with Cody Rhodes

Yes, you read that right— Drew Gulak has beef with Cody Rhodes over pizza, as told by The American Nightmare on an episode of Busted Open.

In 2017, both men were in EVOLVE, and Rhodes brought pizza to a fan meet-and-greet as a farewell gift for Johnny Gargano. Gulak, allegedly playing the grizzled vet, looked at Rhodes and sneered, “So that’s what you need to get over?” before storming off.

Rhodes later blasted Gulak, saying his “grizzled old vet” shtick sucked and that he “hadn’t made any money anywhere.” To this day, Rhodes still texts Ethan Page just to say he thinks Gulak sucks.

For the record, Gulak’s not exactly known for being chill backstage—WWE cut ties with him in 2024 after reports of him being a “bully” in NXT and allegedly targeting injured wrestlers.

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Haters gonna hate, but Cody Rhodes isn’t losing sleep. Whether it’s old rivals, jealous peers, or Twitter trolls, The American Nightmare continues to rise. And with the WWE Championship around his waist, the only thing his critics can do is watch him shine.

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