The WWE Universe has seen many retirements in a short span of time lately, and it seems Cody Rhodes is tired of saying goodbye.
Last year has been tough for both the locker room and the fans. For Rhodes, it feels even more personal, as these weren’t just co-workers; they were mentors, rivals, and friends.
Since 2025, three major stars have stepped away. Goldberg had his final match in July 2025 at Saturday Night’s Main Event. In December, John Cena ended his in-ring career with a farewell match at SNME again. Rhodes was seen getting very emotional watching Cena’s shoes for a long while, even after the legend left the place.
Then, at the Royal Rumble 2026, AJ Styles lost to Gunther in a match that forced him to retire, and the Phenomenal One left his jacket and gloves in the ring this week on RAW.
Styles’ goodbye meant a lot to Rhodes. WWE held a tribute show for him on February 23, where The Undertaker announced him as an inductee to the 2026 Hall of Fame class. Cody Rhodes also showed up to honor Styles.
Cody Rhodes Says He’s Ready for New Beginnings in WWE
While speaking on First Take to promote the WWE Elimination Chamber 2026, the WWE star made his feelings clear. He said he doesn’t want to see any more retirements and feels like WWE has been saying goodbye too often lately. “I don’t want any more retirements. We’re saying goodbye way too much to too many people,” he said.
Rhodes spoke highly of AJ Styles. He mentioned that Styles wrestled not only with him but also with his brother and his father, which makes his legacy even more meaningful.
“AJ is incredible. He’s one of the few people who wrestled not just me, but my brother and my dad..and really a game-changing type performer. I loved how WWE did it, and the inclusion of The Undertaker, which was a complete surprise to everyone, and then to say, ‘You’re going into the Hall of Fame’ was a really beautiful way to go out,” Rhodes said.
At the same time, these retirements have boosted Gunther’s image. After beating Goldberg, Cena, and Styles in major matches, Gunther has earned a reputation for being a “career killer.” Rhodes admitted that the nickname is starting to feel real.
“It’s never easy to see John tap out, to see AJ go down like that. Gunther really is turning into the career killer. It’s more than just the moniker. Hopefully, someone can put an end to that,” he said.
The American Nightmare also said he would rather see new debuts and fresh faces instead of more retirements.”But I don’t want any retirements for a while. Let’s do debuts…New blood. New beginnings,” Rhodes added.
"I don't want any other retirements. We're saying goodbye way too much. … Let's do debuts." ?
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 25, 2026
— @CodyRhodes on what John Cena and AJ Styles mean to the WWE ? pic.twitter.com/Fzdy0vUPR6
Rhodes will compete inside the Elimination Chamber on February 28 against Randy Orton, LA Knight, Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, and Jey Uso. The winner earns a shot at Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42.
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