Cody Rhodes Makes It Clear That He Isn’t Finished With Brock Lesnar Before 2026 Royal Rumble

WWE has seen many Superstars clash in legendary rivalries, and although a lot of them have closed the book on the feud, Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar are likely not finished with each other.

Cody Rhodes might have just tipped WWE’s hand without even meaning to. When he was asked a simple Royal Rumble question on ESPN, he immediately brought Brock Lesnar into it.

As Cody Rhodes mentioned Brock Lesnar, he made it sound like their issue isn’t finished. During his appearance on Get Up, the interviewer asked Cody the kind of thing fans always debate: out of the 29 other men in the 2026 Royal Rumble, who would he enjoy eliminating the most. Cody started by pointing out that not everyone has even declared yet and that surprises are part of the match, but he still framed his answer around the biggest names possible.

“Of the ones who we know that are in it—because there’s going to be a myriad of surprises—we know who’s declared already... I think you should look no further than the top of the heap at WWE. And that's going to be somebody like a Brock Lesnar, somebody like a Roman Reigns, who has also both won Royal Rumbles prior.”

Then Cody Rhodes got more direct on the matter, and it wasn’t just trash talk. He flat-out said he wants Brock Lesnar. They have faced each other three times at this point, and it may be difficult to keep them apart.

Cody Rhodes referenced their past in a way that makes it sound like he thought the story was already closed, and that Brock doesn’t see it that way at all.

“I think I’d like to get Brock Lesnar if I could get anyone. I had his last match before he came back and wrestled John Cena. I thought we ended this thing. Apparently, we did not. But I’d like to be the one to throw that guy out.”

Cody and Brock have history that didn’t start with years of build, it started with Brock deciding Cody was a problem and trying to shut him down when Cody was still rebuilding momentum after returning to WWE. That whole stretch set up Brock as a roadblock placed directly in Cody’s path, but this was not just a one-off feud and more like a test for Cody. Since Lesnar’s forced absence due to his alleged involvement in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon, Rhodes finished his story and became the American Nightmare we know today.

Brock Lesnar is in the Royal Rumble mix, so you can already see the setup. Cody is saying out loud he wants that moment where he throws Brock Lesnar out, which is basically the cleanest way to tell fans “I’m still not done with this” without saying it outright. Only time will tell how it all pans out in Saudi Arabia.

What’s your take on Cody Rhdoes and Brock Lesnar having unfinished business? Will they meet again in the Royal Rumble match? Let us know what you think in the comments section!