Subhojeet Mukherjee on March 31, 2026
The conversation around WWE’s aging main event scene isn’t slowing down — but Cody Rhodes is making it clear he sees things very differently.
Following comments from Triple H about the company’s depth, Rhodes addressed the same criticism head-on during a March 31, 2026 appearance on The Breakfast Club — and immediately reframed the narrative. When the topic of WWE’s roster skewing older was brought up, Rhodes didn’t deny it — instead, he leaned into it with a different perspective: “Seasoned. Well, it goes in phases.”
Rather than treating age as a concern, Rhodes went deeper, explaining that wrestling has historically relied on experience — especially during its most successful periods. He pointed to the golden era of the 1980s, breaking down why wrestlers in their late 30s and early 40s were once considered to be at their absolute peak.
“In the golden ’80s, we used to joke that a wrestler’s prime was 35 to 42. That’s because they needed all that experience psychologically. They worked town to town — live crowds were everything.”
Rhodes didn’t stop there — he stated that performing for a live audience is a skill that takes years to develop, something younger stars often haven’t fully mastered yet.
“How do you work with a live crowd? How do you involve them? We’re not doing this just for each other or just for the camera — how are they involved?”
He then shifted the focus to a more recent period in WWE, explaining that the company previously leaned too heavily on younger talent who hadn’t yet built that level of experience.
“That has cycled back now. A few years ago, they brought in what I’d call all freshmen on a varsity team.”
To drive that point home, Rhodes even referenced his own early career alongside other now-established names, admitting they weren’t ready despite early success.
“There’s this famous picture of me and CM Punk and Matt Cardona — we were all babies and had won big titles, but we didn’t really have a clue at that point. We didn’t have that experience.”
Now, Rhodes believes WWE has corrected course — with today’s main event scene built around performers who understand the pressure and psychology of the biggest stage. He specifically pointed to the current lineup of top stars as proof that experience is now leading the way.
“So now I think you’re getting back to where you’ve got guys like Roman, me, Punk, Randy — the main events of WrestleMania. I’d just say it’s a very experienced crew.”
Bottom line — Cody Rhodes isn’t seeing a problem with WWE’s roster at all. If anything, he sees a locker room filled with talent that knows exactly what it’s doing when the lights are brightest.
Do you think WWE’s roster being more experienced is a strength, or should the company focus more on pushing younger stars right now? Drop your thoughts and let us know.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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