Cody Rhodes Sparks Debate Over WWE Stars’ Drawing Power
Cody Rhodes didn’t hold back when the topic of star power came up on his What Do You Want to Talk About? podcast—and his comments could definitely stir the pot inside WWE.
While chatting with Damian Priest, Cody got brutally honest about the reality of drawing power in the wrestling business. He emphasized that simply being on TV doesn’t mean a wrestler is actually pulling in numbers. According to Cody, only a small slice of the roster is truly driving business.
“This is an unpopular thing to share, but I’ll share it. If you look at a roster sheet—in any company, any company—you’d be surprised at the percentage that actually—and I’ll use the term—earn, or draw, for a company,” Cody said.
“You’d think it’s a lot more. And then you look and it’s a small percentage. Now, it doesn’t mean people won’t, it doesn’t mean people aren’t getting there, it doesn’t mean context makes it so that a few times they do. But there’s a small percentage.”
Although Cody didn’t name names, the implication was clear: most wrestlers aren’t moving the needle like fans might assume. Then he singled out one Superstar who does: Rhea Ripley.
“And I don’t know if the world knows—and I’m sure they’re finding out in real time—what [Rhea Ripley] does. X’s and O’s-wise, she’s very, very inspiring.”
“She’s also one who makes me want to compete—not in a stab-you-in-the-back type of way, but like, ‘Let’s go. You’re cruising? Cool. I want to be on your level. Let’s go.’”
“Every time she’s on the screen, it’s those moments of like, ‘Jeez, man. What a star. What a star.’”
By highlighting Rhea Ripley as one of the few true draws, Cody didn’t just compliment her—he drew a line between the big names and the rest. The message? WWE has stars, and it has filler. And not everyone is putting numbers on the board.
This kind of honesty from a top guy is rare—and you can bet fans and talent alike will have opinions about where they stand in that percentage Cody mentioned.
Do you agree with Cody that only a small percentage of WWE Superstars truly draw? Or do you think he’s underestimating the rest of the roster? Sound off in the comments below!