Cody Rhodes Explains How WWE Backstage Politics Really Work

Cody Rhodes isn’t pretending politics don’t exist in WWE — but he says the way it works today is very different from what many might expect.

While speaking on the What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast on March 4, 2026, Rhodes opened up about the idea of “backstage politics” in wrestling. The conversation started when he recalled Roman Reigns once calling him a politician — something Rhodes says he didn’t take as an insult.

Rhodes explained that being political in wrestling doesn’t necessarily mean manipulating people or backstabbing others. Instead, he sees it as part of navigating a competitive industry where everyone has opinions about how stories should play out.

“Roman Reigns called me a politician one time, and I remember thinking I’m not mad at that. I grew up in this business. Everyone is political to a degree, but to me there’s a difference between politics and posturing versus snaking and backstabbing.”

Rhodes also described how locker room conversations work today compared to the past. According to him, many WWE talent are open about their ideas and aren’t afraid to say when they think something could be improved. He said that instead of quiet manipulation, the environment now often involves straightforward discussions.

“One of the great things about you as a peer in the locker room is that you’re straight up. I think a lot of guys in our locker room are straight up. They’ll say, ‘This is what I think is better, this is what I think isn’t. Let’s talk about it.’ Then someone makes the final decision, but at least the opinions have been weighed.”

At the same time, Rhodes admitted that experienced wrestlers can quickly recognize when someone isn’t being genuine about creative decisions. In his view, there’s a clear difference between constructive discussion and someone quietly pushing their own agenda.

“Because you can smell it when you get around the ones who say, ‘This is going to be really good for you,’ and you can tell — no, it’s not. I can tell it’s not even really for me.”

In other words, Rhodes believes politics will always exist in wrestling — but today’s WWE locker room operates more through direct communication rather than the backstabbing reputation the industry once had.

Do you think backstage politics in wrestling are unavoidable — or has WWE really changed behind the scenes? Let us know your thoughts.

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