Cody Rhodes Reveals Every WWE Talent Check Their Phones After Their Segment

Cody Rhodes isn’t just calling out sensitivity in wrestling — he’s calling out the habit that feeds it.

While speaking to Brandon Walker on February 27, 2026, Rhodes peeled back the curtain on something he says happens after every single segment: wrestlers immediately grab their phones. According to Rhodes, it’s universal.

“Here’s what every wrestler does: their segment airs, and they check their phone. Every wrestler does it. They see the one or two negative comments and ignore the six that say, ‘That was great.’ It’s like Yelp — nobody goes on there to write a good review.”

Rhodes made it clear that not everyone is going to be a fan — and chasing universal approval is a mistake: “They’re not all going to like you, right? You’ve got to get over it.”

The American Nightmare added that wrestlers often believe they can flip critics if they just engage enough.

“When you’re doing that doom vanity search or whatever, no matter what you do — and this is the mistake wrestlers make — they think, ‘Oh, I’ll follow him. I can turn him.’ No. They don’t want you. They don’t like you. And that’s okay.”

Instead of obsessing over social media after every match or promo, Rhodes argues that performers need perspective. He doesn’t believe in blocking critics either — something he feels only amplifies the issue.

“Don’t block people on Twitter. Don’t be so sensitive. Never block — you just signed a digital autograph for them. Never block. Never acknowledge. You don’t have to.”

At the same time, Rhodes pushed back on the idea that social media should be dismissed entirely. For him, it’s about balance — not letting online reactions control you, but not pretending they don’t exist either.

“There’s no such thing as social media being fake. That’s a lie. Social media is very real, and people are real. Sure, some are bots — but not all of them. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Is it this massive metric that controls everything? Not as big as we think. But is it completely nonexistent? No. You do have to hear it every now and then. It can be helpful.”

Rhodes even admitted he uses online chatter to gauge how certain cities might respond before he walks through the curtain.

“I know when I’m walking into a building that’s going to chant ‘Let’s go Cody, Cody sucks.’ I know when I’m walking into a building that’s just happy to have me. And usually, I know that because of what I’ve seen online beforehand.”

Rhodes’ comments won’t please everyone — especially in an era where performers and promotions are more protective than ever. But his stance is clear: criticism comes with the territory, and wrestlers need thicker skin.

Do you agree with Cody Rhodes’ take on fan criticism and social media, or do you think the industry should have stricter boundaries? Drop your thoughts below.

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