Cody Rhodes Says He’s Making Seven Figures Outside WWE

Currently the Ring of Honor World Champion, Cody Rhodes is one of the biggest stars in wrestling today, and he’s become a shining example of how successful a wrestler can be outside of the confines of WWE.

At Wrestle Kingdom 12, Cody Rhodes will have one of a handful of marquee matchups on a stacked card, as he will take on Kota Ibushi, who is regarded as one of the greatest in-ring workers on the planet. Cody is no slouch either, as evidenced by the fact that he’s the Ring of Honor World Champion and a former multi-time WWE Tag and Intercontinental champ.

Cody’s known for his wrestling chops and his ability as a showman, and he’s also becoming known as a guy who is making some serious cash. For a long time, there’s been a belief that it isn’t as easy for a wrestler to make steady money outside of WWE, and that’s likely why some wrestlers have such a hard time leaving the promotion.

However, “The American Nightmare” told Busted Open Radio that he made seven-figures in a year for the first time in his career.

From Wrestling Inc.’s William Windsor (transcript of interview):

"“Not to sound tacky, but this has been the first seven-figure year I’ve ever had and it blows me away that it happened, so on that end, for my family and well-being, that part has been the best.”"

Cody also spoke about what it means to be a world champion and reflected on his involvement in the WWE’s Intercontinental Title picture.

The fact that Cody is able to rake in so much money is a testament to his charisma and talent, but it’s also a sign that others could have the same type of success. Former 205 Live star Austin Aries has also made it known that he’s making good cash outside WWE. This may not be the case for everyone who leaves WWE, but the results are encouraging.

Then again, it might just be “The Force”.

Some fans have been critical of Cody’s reign as Ring of Honor World Champ, but he’s increased the prestige of that title globally by being an attraction and a great ambassador for the brand. Cody is popular and has likely drawn more WWE-only fans to the Ring of Honor product.

Next: Who Is The Greatest Superstar To Never Be World Champion?

To that end, he just had an incredible match with Jay Lethal at Revolution Pro’s Uprising, which hopefully quieted some of the critics. Then again, who cares what the critics think when you’re taking home a million bucks in a year?